


Your Eyes Tell

by ladyofshallott



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, BUT IN THE FUTURE LMAO, Bilingual Lance (Voltron), Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Child AU, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Korean Keith (Voltron), M/M, Mutual Pining, No Mpreg but the kid is biologically theirs, Oblivious Keith (Voltron), POV Keith (Voltron), POV Lance (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Protective Lance (Voltron), Time Travel, Work In Progress, but he's an amazing parent in the future we all know that, but hope! what about adoption?, i know it says it's finished, it's called fiction baby, no im serious, this is crack being treated very seriously, this is just a small side story, this is the story where klance's kid travels in the past, well yeah adoption is amazing but let me have this, yes i named my fanfic after a bts song sue me, you will see how
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28898382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofshallott/pseuds/ladyofshallott
Summary: It was actually a very adorable sight and Keith didn’t realize he was smiling until Shiro’s eyes snapped up at him this time. But this time it stayed, analyzing his face, not like with Lance when he had barely spared him a third glance.A tiny sigh from the girl and all at once, she perhaps finally found the courage to look at all the Paladins. So she did.And Keith’s world exploded in blue.— When team Voltrons finds a small girl on an abandoned planet - they all wonder who she is and what is she doing alone. But perhaps all the answers they need ... are in her eyes.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 110
Kudos: 369





	1. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new person in the castle seems to have everyone's attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- this is an idea that i've been wanting to turn into a fic since 2019 and since i'm writing so many stuff at once (which is a bit stressing), i decided to just post small chapters whenever i feel like it. as a relaxing distraction i guess lmao.
> 
> \- i hope you will like it just as much as i love writing this! also - there isn't any Mpreg in this, so don't be put off when they realize that the klance kid is theirs biologically.
> 
> \- it's just an au after all, don't take it too seriously!  
> • title comes from bts's song "your eyes tell"💝
> 
> ENJOY LOVELIES!

####  __

####    
  
_chapter one - new guest_

In the one year and three months in which Keith had been in space – he thought he’d seen most of what it had to offer.

Pretty planets with even prettier sights, strange looking aliens and creatures that went beyond all of his imaginations. Not to mention the sentient Lions and their ability to communicate mentally with all of the Voltron Paladins. Perhaps the weirdest thing that managed to surprise him – was the fact that he was half alien. If he had to be honest, Keith wasn’t even that perplexed at the reveal in which he finally understood why he felt so different and out of place his whole life.

He’d just merely belonged to the stars all this time; in the calm void where he could fight and do something for other people. Make helpless and hopeless aliens feel just a tad fraction of that happiness when after every mission he came back to his _family_. His found one. The kind of family that he’d been dreaming about his whole life; the kind of family that Lance was describing in his stories from Cuba.

Of course, this was space after all, and when the team received a signal that something strange had happened on an abandoned planet nearby – he wasn’t expecting much.

Maybe a Galra trap or an attack, or an ambush from aliens who support them. But this part of the day had become strangely mundane, to fight evil aliens that is.

They were all gathered in the Bridge Control room, the Castle still from when Coran landed it perfectly on the surface of Dokhyna. The planet looked like out of something from a cyberpunk movie with tall, elegant buildings, looming over like giant fairies. The billboards were still working surprisingly – displayed ads of products and events, but with the streets were completely empty. Keith felt strangely sad. According to Coran, Dokhyna was one of the first victims targeted by the Galra who sprayed a gas which was poisonous to the natives; with radiation so strong that after thousands of years – they couldn’t come back.

This could be Earth if they didn’t win this war, Keith realized with a small shudder.

“I don’t understand,” Pidge muttered and Keith snapped again into reality.

Because remember when he said nothing could surprise him anymore?

Well, that seemed to turn out to be a fucking _lie_ as Keith brought his gaze back onto the little girl whom was sitting on Pidge’s chair across them.

The little _human_ girl.

Coran didn’t need to make any scans on her DNA since it was painfully obvious. She looked like a human child, talked and walked like one. Though the talking part was an exaggeration on his end since she hadn’t said anything to them save for the threating yell to _‘stay back’_ when they found her, hiding in an empty dumpster.

She was dirty, her clothes rumpled and shredded like she’d went on places she shouldn’t have been, her face smudged with ash and dust. Her skin tone was familiar as stupid as that sounded. It was a brown shade, but it was not dark like Allura’s, however it was darker than Adam’s from what Keith remembered. There were freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks almost like …

_Lance._

Keith secretly fixed his gaze on his left, at where Lance was sitting with his knees spread and elbows resting on them. The Blue Paladin was the same as him. The same as everyone, honestly. Observing like a hawk, analyzing like a predator, the small girl. She was trying really hard not to meet any of their eyes so she mostly kept her head down, but Keith could still catch major features like the shape of her eyes, nose and eyebrows. Her hair was of dark brown color and it was huge, curly and long. It was done in a ponytail, but occasionally she’d blow some of the naughty curls away from her face that have unfortunately escaped due to the thickness of it.

Unsurprisingly, Shiro broke the high tension and took a hesitant step towards her, his hands raised. She immediately noticed the motion and tensed, her tiny hands grabbing tightly on to the straps of her military green backpack. Keith didn’t know what she carried inside, but it certainly was bigger than her whole body and some part of him was worried she’d topple backwards if the girl decided to stand up.

“Hey … my name is Shiro. I’m the Black Paladin of Voltron, yes? Have you heard of us?”

Keith noticed Hunk fidgeting on his place next to Pidge. Allura and Coran simply stood to the side with crossed arms, meanwhile he and Lance were the closest to each other. He pondered if he should’ve stepped to his teammate to bring some comfort, but decided against it.

The girl very visibly gulped. Then … a small nod. Millions of questions appeared inside his brain, but he left his brother to do the interrogation. They all knew he wasn’t the best with kids like Lance, Hunk or Shiro were. How did a human girl know about Voltron, was very beyond Keith.

“That’s good,” Shiro praised and when he reached her, he kneeled down so he could be on level with her eyes. For a small second, that Keith was sure it was a brain cheat or a trick, Shiro’s grey eyes jerked to Lance. And then back to the girl. He repeated the same action, and Keith was sure no one noticed a thing except for him. From the team, he was probably the most capable when it came down to read Shiro specifically. “Would you mind to tell us your name?”

He smiled at her, that kind smile that had won Keith over when he was a small kid with no hope or future. He wasn’t sure how the girl would resist _the smile._

And frankly, some of the tension melted away from her body, though she didn’t let go of her backpack. Keith couldn’t see the color of her eyes from that afar, but he could feel that she was uncertain on what she was about to say when she opened her mouth. Closed it – opened it again.

“I’m– … I uh …” she stuttered, but Shiro was quick to comfort her.

“Woah! It’s okay. You don’t have to tell us right away, okay? Whenever you’re ready.”

Her forehead wrinkled in confusion and she puckered her lips. Probably deciding if her name was important information or not that she could share. It was actually a very adorable sight and Keith didn’t realize he was smiling until Shiro’s eyes snapped up at _him_ this time. But this time it stayed, analyzing his face, not like with Lance when he had barely spared him a third glance.

A tiny sigh from the girl and all at once, she perhaps finally found the courage to look at all the Paladins. So she did.

And Keith’s world exploded in blue.

Cobalt blue, so beautiful and breathtaking, with the literal stars inside it. The color of the depth of every ocean, so deep that it took Keith’s breath away in an instant. Because … how many times had he looked at blue moons with this exact same hue? How many times had Keith dreamed of that blue to look at him, with more than just friendly mirth or angry glares? How many times had Keith wished to dive even deeper in them or gaze upon them; show the owner how badly he desired _him_?

Because those weren’t just ordinary blue eyes, no.

“My name is Layla.”

_Those were Lance’s eyes._

Then she continued as if she didn’t just rock the Castle floor beneath their feet.

“Layla McClain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- DUN DUN DUUUN ... i wonder what happens next :0  
> jk. i do. but you don't. SO STICK AROUND IF U WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS :D
> 
> \- thank you for reading if you got to the end! leave kudos, an idea, hc or a comment if you'd like! we authors always appreciate it!
> 
> 'TIL NEXT TIME!✨🖊️


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance can't cope that his actual daughter is here.  
> Keith is fucking dense as usual.  
> And Pidge almost fights a little child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow!! you guys, the response to this story and the first chapter was fucking awesome! thank you so much for the comments, the kudos and the hits that inspired me this much to write this smol bby that is 4k words.
> 
> I hope you like it! there is so much more to come ;)

####  __

####  _chapter two – of hair ties and secret glances_

All Lance wanted his whole life was to be a pilot.

Sure, he _did_ become a pilot after all, just not the type of pilot he _expected_. Riding with Blue was one of the best experiences he’d had in life so he couldn’t complain that this was what life threw at him. Being a part of a mega weapon was one of those things that you never knew you wanted or needed. He did miss his family like crazy, but … Voltron was also his family and Lance wouldn’t give them up for anything.

Becoming a space explorer has always been a constant dream in his life. Ever since he turned nine – all his desires turned up to the sky instead of the sea. All the beautiful stars, all of the unknown seemed to call out for him so many times like a constant hum travelling across his skin, making his bones slightly tremble and his heart to fasten.

It was the Blue Lion all along, but that didn’t take away the fact that space would always have a place in his soul. His mother has always called him a dreamer. Even with all the failures, it looked like all there it was when it came to Lance McClain. Dreaming far beyond his reach, dreaming for things he’d probably never get. But still dreaming.

It was no surprise to anyone, the least for Lance, that he also dreamed of having a family. Of his own. Become a parent one day and marry someone he found beautiful, smart and courageous so he could live his life with them, grow grey and old and watch as he pass down everything he’s learned to the generation after him.

A pilot, a husband, a father. All that Lance wanted.

But it didn’t mean he was ready, at nineteen years old, to actually _be one_.

The silence after the girl, after Layla McClain – whoever she was, shared her name was absolutely crushing, pressing down on all of his teammates where they all stood frozen, in a daze, all gaping at the kid who averted her eyes the moment she let her name stumble away from her lips. _Her blue eyes._

The eyes of his _own mother_ ; the eyes he was seeing in his own reflection every single day.

Shiro, like the empath he was, sensed the sheer awkwardness and uncomfortableness of the situation and immediately whisked Layla away. He murmured something in her ear and then smiled kindly, offering his prosthetic arm to her. Layla didn’t even look twice at the hand or showed in any way she was shocked. The girl simply gave him a nod and let the Black Paladin envelop her tiny hand. Shiro made a move to take away the heavy backpack that was attached to her, like a turtle’s shell, but all he had in response was a warning not to touch it.

No one said anything.

They all watched Shiro lead Layla away from the Bridge Room, all quiet save for the sound of the Castle’s systems buzzing and buzzing.

Lance didn’t know how long he stayed glued to his seat, unblinking at the exit.

Hunk’s voice reached his ears and Lance dizzily, his head feeling as if underwater, turned to his best friend.

“Lance, p-please tell me that this is a very distant cousin of yours that a-apparently lives in space and looks scarily like you,” he begged. “C’mon Lance, tell your buddy! I bet you’ve been an alien like Keith this whole time _ahah_ …”

He trailed off with a shaky laughter, obviously nervous. Pidge rubbed her small hand on his shoulder as she offered some comfort in the only way she knew. Even though her face looked deeply concentrated like she was solving math equations inside her head.

Lance exhaled a breath and squeezed his hands in fists as they were obviously trembling slightly.

“I’ve never seen this girl in my whole damn life,” he breathed out. Croaked more like it. _Stars_ , Lance felt like he’d pass out any minute. Why did this girl looked so much like him? Why did she have his surname? _Who was she?_

His vision colored in black spots and when it hit Lance that he might faint for real, a cold hand, smaller than his, grabbed his own. In a tight grip, grounding him. Lance didn’t even care who it was – he just took that anchor with him, wishing that bile in his throat to go away. Lance definitely didn’t wish to vomit his guts out to all of his friends.

“Lance,” a deep voice called. Soft and raspy. “Lance, breathe. It’s okay – _you’re okay._ ”

In and out, in and out.

“Slower. C’mon, breathe with me, okay?”

He felt the person next to him inhaling deeply and Lance tried to follow in the midst of all the chaos inside him. There was a knot in his stomach, but with every inhale and exhale – Lance could feel it untying little by little. He squeezed the other person’s hand even more, a bit worried he was doing it too strongly. But the equally as strong hand responded with the same type of clutch. “That’s it, Sharpshooter. Perfect.”

Lance didn’t even know he had closed his eyes. But then he felt a touch, light and feathery against the skin of his cheek. It was so soft and gentle, lovingly even, that he had to see who it was. Even though a buried part of him knew already.

Lance’s eyelashes fluttered and he made himself meet Keith’s gaze. That was right in front of him, so open and so vulnerable just as his. _So purple._

The Red Paladin found a place, kneeling between Lance’s legs. His face was inches away from him, but Lance wanted him closer. When didn’t he want Keith closer? His heart gave a loud bum, before it started an interesting fast rhythm like the gallop of a horse. This time for an entire different reason, that he couldn’t even muster a response. Keith’s touch to his cheek became firmer the longer they stayed together, alone in their own space of stars and darkness.

Lance braced himself, perhaps for Keith’s enticing smell and for the warmth of his body despite his icy hands, but it didn’t come.

And the disappointment of not kissing Keith in that moment was even colder.

Keith backed away, and so did his fingers, that for an embarrassing second, Lance almost chased after him, wishing to take Keith’s lips for himself. Embrace him and feel the soft lace that was his hair. Touch him back just as tenderly as he did.

“I think we all know who she was,” crooned Pidge furtively, but Lance couldn’t even hear her clearly because of the drumming in his ears from all the hot blood. “The question is _how?_ ”

“Well,” Coran piped in with his usual levity and Lance looked up to see the old Altean reading from the screen. “The report we received from the Yek’hitians was that there was a significant crack in the matter of space and time almost phoeb ago. So if we go by the data and the readings – this is ho–”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Hunk interrupted, waving his hands around wildly like he was trying to scare away a fly. “You mean to tell me that this little girl survived by herself?! ALONE? FOR ALMOST A MONTH?!”

A chasm, so wide and bottomless, drilled inside his heart at the thought of Layla. Alone and hurt, wandering around on an empty planet with that huge bag that probably killed her small shoulders. She was probably really afraid – Lance knew that he would no matter what age he was.

“Is she okay?” Keith asked and Lance’s eyes widened at the raw concern in his tone. He glanced to his friend and could see his furrowed eyebrows and his distinct scowl. “She _did_ look really tired. Maybe she’s hungry?”

Now _that_ seemed to set Hunk off.

“Oh Jesus! She probably is! God knows what she was living off this past month! _My poor niece!_ I’m gonna go and make her something in the kitchen! Pidge, come and help me!”

They all sucked in a gasp at Hunk’s obliviousness and Lance could feel the rest of the team’s concerned gazes pointed at him. But it was too late; too inevitable.

Because _yes_. Layla McClain was Hunk’s niece.

_Because Layla McClain was his daughter._

{ * }

“If I see _one_ of you freaking out – you’re out.”

Shiro’s solid voice and stance had Lance nervously rubbing his thumb over the back of his hand, the desire of being anywhere else but here so strong, that he considered stabbing himself in the neck with his spork.

After Hunk’s meltdown over Layla probably being very hungry, they all decided to help him out in the kitchens. Not too long Shiro asked for Allura’s assistance on picking up clothes for the little girl since all of hers were dirty or cut open. It seemed that the girls were taking rather too long. Lance was wondering if his … _daughter_ would show up wearing a princess dress.

Hunk was basically flying over all the stoves and cupboards, dressed in an apron with Coran on his side who seemed like he was mixing up ingredients of all colors into a white bowl.

Pidge chuckled. “Shiro, you do realize that this is Lance’s very possible daughter coming from the _future_? This is fucking _time travelling!_ I’m still trying to figure out how she even managed to come here – and you want us _not_ freaking out?”

She looked over the edge of her laptop, a mischievous smirk stretching her lip upwards. Then she nodded at Lance. “I think the dad is handling it pretty well.”

“I’m actually kind of freaking out,” responded Lance hurriedly and looked at Shiro whose face was painted in sympathy and understanding. Keith across him stayed silent, but whenever they accidentally met each other’s eyes – he offered Lance an encouraging smile. Lance’s lungs seemed to close themselves whenever that happened. He attempted to ease the sudden worry in the atmosphere with a laugh, but it fell flat just like his heart.

Shiro sighed and finally sat on his own chair, at the head of the table. “Look, I know it’s really weird for all of us right now. And we have a lot of questions. But she’s scared, okay? Imagine you get separated from your family and you go in a place where they haven’t even met you yet.”

His words were a heavy blow on Lance’s heart. A poison arrow.

“Don’t freak out, because _she_ will freak out if we do. And we don’t want a freaked out child in the Castle right now. Just … act civil. _Normal._ ”

Shiro emphasized the last word with a very pointed look at Hunk who put probably the tenth plate of food on the table. Hunk either ignored that or didn’t even notice for he clapped his hands and grinned.

“Perfect! Now I’m sure there’s at least something she’d like!”

Shiro sighed even louder. “Hunk–”

And like on command, the doors opened and Allura entered with Layla trailing behind her tentatively like they would all attack her the moment they see her.

Lance took his time to actually observe her, now when she was finally clean.

She, in fact, was dressed in a dress, with the green backpack in her hands. The dress was in pastel blue and it seemed to be a bit too big for her body, but it was better than the previous attire. The dress was probably Allura’s, but the princess didn’t seem to mind one bit judging by the sparkling eyes of amusement and smile. Layla’s hair was let down and _holy shit_ , was it _really_ long. It was shiny from the shower and even curlier than before.

_Like his own._

It passed down her shoulders, down her back and almost reaching her waist. But there was something that caught Lance’s attention in a grip while Layla walked closer to the table. Back on the Bridge Room, under all the blue lights from the Castle systems, her hair was obviously a very dark brown, darker even than Lance’s. However, now that he had a closer look with a better illumination Lance knew better.

Layla’s hair was black.

He searched deep in his memories for known relatives with such black hair like hers. Almost like raven feathers.

His parents and all of Lance’s siblings were brunettes. Maybe Rachel and Marco had darker hair, but it was still brown. Not _black_.

Maybe it didn’t even come from Lance’s side.

The thunder inside his ribcage was so loud that he was afraid Shiro would scold him for it. Because no one seemed to want to ask that question which was … _who_ was Layla’s other parent? Was Lance a single dad? Or did he marry and Layla was sad that she couldn’t see her other parent with him?

He tried so hard not to look, but he gave away to the desire. And his eyes fell on the Red Paladin that sat on opposite of him.

It seemed so impossible. So … traitorous even.  
That he could actually love someone as hard and as deep as he loved Keith.

Lance was really past that phase where he pretended night stands or beautiful aliens from other planets could make him feel a quarter of the amount of attraction and emotion that Keith made him feel. So who seduced him so hard to the point he’d want to be with someone that wasn’t Keith Park?

“Hey Layla, how was the shower?” Asked Shiro which made the girl stop in her tracks. She swayed her head to the side because of the hair that fell in her eyes as her lips twitched.

“Um … it was nice. Thank you for letting me use it.”

“You’re welcome.”

Something akin to pride filled his chest and Lance’s smile was on his lips before he could stop it. So his own daughter was beautiful like him _and_ just as polite. Nice.

Allura made her way to her seat, on Shiro’s right, with Keith next to her. Hunk sat on Lance’s right, next to Shiro too. So the only options Layla had for sitting were either next to Pidge or next to _Keith_. Lance didn’t know why that made him feel so strange. His own kid interacting with what he was sure, the love of his life.

Space was a fucking mess.

“You can sit wherever you want,” said Allura with a sugary smile. “I’m sure you’re very thirsty and hungry. Hunk made sure there are many dishes for you to choose from. Don’t be a stranger, we insist.”

Layla nodded once again and resumed her walking. And as she reached the table, Lance honestly expected her to go around and sit next to Pidge. Of course, once you got to know Keith you’d very easily come to the conclusion that this guy was very soft and kind. But it didn’t change the fact that his demeanor was the one of a guy who’d beat you up for three dollars if you provoke him in any way. Which was why Keith wasn’t exactly popular with all the alien kids.

Which is why Lance was completely _baffled_ , when Layla didn’t even spare the free seat on the Green Paladin’s left and as if … on reflex, or maybe instinctively, went to _Keith_.

“Can I sit next to you?”

For the first time, she sounded like the small kid she was, afraid of rejection. She brought those blues at Keith and Lance watched how with no hesitancy, the Red Paladin gave her a shake of confirmation and pulled the chair for her by himself.

And then Layla _smiled._

It was so sweet and so innocent that something slammed into Lance with no warning. Maybe that parental love that his mother has always talked about. Lance didn’t know anything about the girl who was currently making a place on her seat, but he knew he’d do everything in his power to see her smiling like that again. It was a bit painful, he’d admit, that she didn’t even want to look at him. But Shiro was right, he reminded herself.

She was just scared and confused. Hopefully she’d come around and not stick with the _mullet_.

Layla helped herself and started eating.

And eating she _did_.

Everyone was slightly chuckling by the time she devoured her whole plate in less than five minutes, two cups of alien juice, and was already filling another, when Hunk spoke up. He was obviously satisfied that he managed to make good edibles for her.

“Do you like it? I didn’t know what you liked and there aren’t many options in space when it comes to human food.”

Layla paused mid-way with the spork on its way to her mouth. She looked sheepish when she answered. “You always make good food, Uncle Hunk. Don’t worry.”

She went back to her eating, but not before Hunk squealed along with Allura and Coran.

“Oh my sweet Mary! You are _adorable_!”

“Aren’t you a cutie!”

“You’re as sweet as a little pnipler, little one!”

Shiro looked as if he wanted to slap himself and the everybody all at once, but Lance noticed the tiny smile nevertheless. Keith also looked amused, but didn’t stop eating while Pidge snorted. She leaned on to Lance.

“I can’t believe you made this kid. Look at her – she’s everything you’re not.”

And Lance looked at her. She was, wasn’t she? All of a sudden she looked up and something struck him as a lightning.

The shape of her eyes … was not really _his_. Sure, the color blue was scarily identical and he couldn’t lie to himself no matter how much he wanted to. But Layla’s eyes were a bit smaller and longer, in the form of a tea drop with a crease that got narrower as it reached the inner corner of her eye. As if he was looking at Keith’s eye shape rather than his own.

Which was really fucking _strange_.

Layla kept looking at him and Lance was stupidly worried she had managed to hear the conversation between he and Pidge. But she tilted her head on one side and offered him a small smile, the exact same one she gifted Keith. All Lance wanted in that moment was to choke her with kisses on her freckled cheeks. Was there anything more pure than that smile?

The moment vanished in an instant with Allura's voice rising.

“Well Layla … do you want to share something about yourself?”

“Yeah kid,” said Pidge and fixed the glasses on her nose. “You gonna tell us what’s in the backpack and how you came here?”

Pidge gave a not very subtle look on the bag on Layla’s chair next to her. And out of nowhere, it was like someone had pressed a button and all her walls came up immediately.

Layla glowered and pointed with the end of her spork. “If one of you touches my backpack I will … um” she obviously didn’t know how to finish her threat which was so fucking cute. Lance felt his heart was a balloon, but instead of air it was filling with _love_. “… _I will run away_!”

“Well at least tell us what it is for?” Pidge pressed and Lance almost slapped her into the oblivion of space, watching Layla’s nostrils flare in anger. It looked that she was quick to do that. Perhaps prone to get easily irritated.

“I was trained to resist interrogation! I’m not telling anything other than my age and my name!” Such serious words coming out of a small kid who barely reached his waist was certainly something Lance never thought he’d see.

“How old are you then?”

_“Okay!”_ Shiro intervened when they all noticed how the girls were ready to pounce on each other. “No touching the backpack without permission! And no _interrogations_! Right, Pidge?”

Pidge seemed very unsatisfied with his words so she slumped down in her chair.

“. . . Right.”

“But can’t you tell us how you came here? How would we get you back in your timeline otherwise?” Hunk questioned with worry flooding his words and face.

Layla crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. Lance’s brain yelled at him at how many times he’d seen this exact same physical response. There was only one person who crossed his arms like this as strong deja vu choked him all around.

She squirmed in her chair under Hunk’s kindness. “I … _I can’t._ ”

“You can’t because you _can’t_ or because you don’t want to?” Lance found himself speaking to her for the first time since they’d found her. Layla seemed shocked that he even spoke to her which really surprised him since he wasn’t even being angry or pissed. But the look on her face indicated that she expected some actual scolding from him. _What the fuck?_ He’d always thought he’d be the cool parent, Lance thought with pettiness.

“Well … um …” for a millionth time since she’d been here, a tress of her hair fell down on her face and she thrusted her head, hoping that it’d escape. Lance searched for the elastic that he saw her hair tied with, but he couldn’t find it on any of her wrists. Her hair was honestly a beautiful mess for sure, but she at least needed something to keep it out when she ate or was doing daily activities, right?

Before she could continue her sentence, Keith made a move. And in front all of Voltron and for their surprise, the Red Paladin wordlessly took of the hair tie from his own hand. And offered it to the stuttering girl who once again froze while she was trying to find the right words to answer Lance’s question with.

Layla looked up at Keith and perhaps it was a trick of the white lamps on the ceiling, but Lance swore he caught her eyes _shining_.

_Glossy_.

She opened her mouth, but no words could be heard. Layla’s hand outstretched, hesitant and shy, but Keith waited patiently before her small fingers finally took the tie from him. She began tying her hair back into the same ponytail that they all saw her with at the beginning.

Layla looked to Keith again and something in Lance’s chest hurt at the sight.

“Um … since my hair is so fluffy and thick, my hair ties always tend to break,” she explained and Lance could her something behind that sentence. The girl tried to mask it, but it seemed she didn’t care for nothing or no one at all the moment she and Keith were looking at each other. “That’s why my daddy always keeps lots on his hand, ‘cuz his hair is also very long like mine.”

It took a solid second for Lance’s brain to catch up with the information she shared.

_“Noooo,”_ Lance began whining and all heads turned to him. Shiro looked as if she was going to puke. “Don’t tell me I grow out my hair long in the future! This a fuc- a _hecking_ nightmare! Why would I do it? I love my short curls and everything, this would be literal suicide!”

Laughter exploded all around him, including Layla who was rather trying to look as if she didn’t want to laugh. Her lips were clamped together, but Lance still saw the gaping hole from where her tooth had fallen probably. So cute.

She didn’t even elaborate on what she even meant by the fact her “daddy” also had long hair, but Lance found he didn’t mind. And when the chuckles faded away little by little, Keith grabbed his spork again, but not before he told Layla quietly, but still loud enough to hear.

“Your daddy sounds cool,” he said simply, smiling a little down at his food.

Oblivious at how Lance’s heart jumped at the implication of what he _truly_ meant.

Oblivious at how their teammates were pleasantly surprised at how well Keith handled Lance’s daughter in such a way that to an outsider, it’d look like the Red Paladin was a middle school teacher in training.

And still stupidly oblivious at how Layla didn’t even dare to stop looking at his side profile, as if she was looking at the prettiest sunset; as if she couldn’t believe herself she was seeing Keith.

_Strange strange strange_ was blaring loudly inside his mind.

“Yeah,” she finally breathed out and glanced at Lance for a quick moment. Before she snuck a stealthy one at Keith again who kept eating his food.

“He is the coolest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't worry, layla absolutely loves her papa lancey with her whole heart. BUT there's a reason she specifically latched onto keith here, and i'm not giving away any spoilers! but you can 100% give me your theories - i'll hapily read them all! i'm a type of an author who puts little tiny details into the story and hopes for everyone to catch them. so everything i write has a reason or an inuendo - just because it's a kid story doesn't mean i'm treating it any differently than my other works!
> 
> again, thank you so much for the responses! i'm an attention seeking whore that gets off on praising so all of your comments boosted my confidence and made me sit on my ass to write the 2nd chapter in no time hehe
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! And stick around if you want to know how little Layla managed to come or something whatev ... :D LOVE YOU ALL !


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is very gay and wants to smooch Lance's pretty face.  
> Layla scares everybody shitless.  
> Pidge still wants to fight a little kid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> last chapter's reponse was so heartwarming! 💖you guys are the best inspiration an author could ever have! thank you for reading my story - here's a longer chapter that is 6k words because i love u, u angels!
> 
> ENJOY! 🌼

####  _chapter three – a time storm_

After dinner, Keith was a bit afraid that Lance’s daughter would follow him, since she seemed weirdly interested in sitting next to him. Just because he did one or two right things for her didn’t mean he actually _knew_ what to do. He had no idea why. Maybe in the future he was a favorite uncle or something of the sort so it was possible why would Layla like to spend time with him?

But that didn’t happen at all and he didn’t know why he was so relieved, but disappointed at the same time. Not that she looked particularly interested in Lance either which Keith knew hurt his friend more than he tried to show. Not for one second Keith considered that the reason was that Lance turned out to be a bad parent in the future. Because Keith was sure there wasn’t a single alternate universe or timeline where Lance McClain didn’t give his whole heart and soul to those who owned a part of him.

Shiro and Allura, along with a requested Coran, made a move to show her the way to her room where she was going to stay during the stay. For the second time as Keith looked up – he caught Shiro’s eyes, jumping between Layla and him. Keith raised an eyebrow at his brother, but Shiro just shook his head faintly with his face immediately changing into that warm smile and twinkling eyes that had Layla standing up from her chair, thanking Hunk for the dinner. Of course, she didn’t seem to forget her backpack, but this time she let Shiro take it. Allura and Coran followed which left Keith, Lance and Hunk alone in the kitchen.

And it was suddenly very silent.

Keith stole a secret look at Lance from under his eyelashes while he stirred from what was left of his food. The Blue Paladin’s expression was more thoughtful than sad which brought comfort upon Keith’s heart. Lance and he would occasionally talk sometimes, on the observation deck, where they could be all alone. Where no one could hear them or their insecurities. He wished Lance could see himself the way all of Voltron, the way all of the universe did.

A brave, selfless, kind and beautiful boy who always reached for the stars.

And apparently – a man who’d bring a sweet creature like Layla McClain into the world.

Keith swallowed back a dreamy sigh. Who honestly wouldn’t Lance to be the father of their child?

“I think it went pretty well!”

Hunk like usual tried to bring in some optimism onto the situation. Keith appreciated it, but he thought it wasn’t really going to do much if he went by Lance moping and Pidge whom still looked appalled that a little girl was going to attack her with a spork. He clamped his lips, trying to hide a smirk. Layla sure had a temper, huh?

“I think she hates me,” Lance concluded and pushed his plate away. He sighed loudly and leaned his head back with the palms of his big hands digging into his eyes tiredly. Keith’s smile fell. _Fuck._ Just as he feared.

Hunk’s eyebrows furrowed in sympathy and one of his big arms settled on Lance’s shoulder shaking him lightly. “Aw buddy, you know she doesn’t. She’s just confused and maybe really emotionally and mentally drained. I know _I_ would be if I saw my moms when they were teenagers.”

He very obviously shuddered in a joking manner. “Oh come on, Lance! You’re actually the best dad material after Shiro! And Shiro is the _fatherest father_ I’ve ever met. I think no one can compete with him for the first place!”

The Yellow Paladin suddenly glanced on his right to Keith, very obviously pleading for him to join in with the emotional support which made absolutely no sense at all. Keith’s forehead crinkled in confusion. Since when was he asked to do such things as talking someone out of sadness who wasn’t Shiro?

But Hunk was insisting silently for help and Pidge was painfully obvious at not participating in the conversation as she furiously typed on the keys of her work laptop. She had a pink noodle hanging grossly from her mouth, but she didn’t seem to care with her eyes flying left and right. Probably reading all the information and science explanation on how Layla could’ve travelled back in time.

Keith was actually very curious on the topic too. It meant that they won the war hopefully; it meant that maybe all of them had survived and made it to the other side okay. Maybe scathed and emotionally scarred after the war, but alive. _Living._

Lance even made a fucking _child._ It was like Layla came here to show them that there was _hope_. They were going to survive and be happy. And when Keith has had misery and sadness his whole life? He was pretty excited to know that there was a chance of happiness stored for him in the future too. Even when it was now confirmed he would never get the chance to be with Lance McClain.

“I’m sure she’s just tired and needs time to adjust,” offered Keith before he clumsily cleared his throat. Hunk raised satisfied thumbs up his way and Keith’s tense shoulders dropped down in relief that he’d done something right. “Don’t read too much into it, Lance.”

“Easy for you to say, mullet,” sniped Lance, but his tone didn’t have an actual angry bite. “She seemed to like you very much!”

Blue eyes fixed him on the spot and Keith almost flinched at the memory from Layla smiling at him. Her smile and her eyes. Copied. Copy and paste, that was what it happened in the case with those two. She even had freckles on the same places as him.

“I …” Keith trailed, but couldn’t finish from Lance’s growl.

“I bet you do all kinds of illegal things in the future so you could get her on the dark side! Bombing Galra bases and catching criminals with the Red Lion!” Lance accused with a raised finger, but Keith – even when he wasn’t the quickest to catch certain social clues – grabbed on to the fact that his friend wasn’t really pissed. So he did what he knew best to Lance’s attempts to petty biting.

He bit back.

“Well at least she’d have some fun!” Keith yelled, trying not to laugh. “I bet you’re the type of dad who forces her to watch football with you and call it bonding time!”

Keith would lie if he said he didn’t pull this one out of his ass. But that was the stupidest dad stereotype he could think of, or one that he’d heard around.

An offended gasp escaped Lance’s lips, his eyes narrowing. “How dare you?! Football is a good game and my daughter would love spending time watching it with me!”

“She probably roots for the other team since you only like the losers!”

“Okay, listen here you _mulleted–_ ”

Keith didn’t even stop himself for leaning forwards across the table, closer to Lance who wasn’t far to behind on doing the same thing. He couldn’t help, but mirror Lance’s grin and the consideration that he should lean in and kiss him was way too irresistible. His eyes flicked to Lance’s soft lips, his fingers twitching to grab that looser collar of his and just pull him in–

“You guys are impossible,” snorted Hunk. And that was all it took for the moment to break and for Lance to get distracted, turning back to his best friend. Keith tried to mask his face into indifference, not into the disappointment that would broadcast if he didn’t even try.

So Keith rolled his eyes and got up from his seat, taking his own dirty plate with him so he could wash it in the sink. The Trio’s chattering was becoming more and more distant the closer he was to the exit of the kitchens when suddenly someone whistled behind him. Keith turned around to see Lance scrambling with his long legs to get to him. And with his steps, the beat of his heart increased.

“Hey …” the boy began, nervously rubbing his neck. “I just wanted to thank you. For today? I was really going to have a meltdown over this if it wasn’t for you, huh?”

Keith wasn’t expecting something, but his brain for sure wasn’t prepared for that.

“O-oh I mean, it’s okay Lance. No one expects you to be perfectly normal about this,” Keith said and looked for something else to say. Something to make Lance feel better. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

Maybe it was a trick of the light, but it seemed a little flame died out when he said those words. But Lance still nodded and smiled at him sweetly; all of the cotton candies and chocolate in the world made into the physical embodiment of a smile. Somewhere on its way, Keith’s breath couldn’t escape him from the sight of his smile.

The exact same one that a little girl had, whom was probably in very deep slumber at this moment.

  
  
{ * }

  
  


Well … apparently Layla didn’t have as great night as Keith thought she would.

The team was asked by Allura to come down to the bridge room very early in the morning and no one could contain their surprise when not even two seconds before the princess began speaking, Layla ran into the room, breathing heavily with her black hair disheveled looking like a black cloud made of clouds.

The ponytail was barely hanging on, but not that backpack that she held onto like a lifeline. Everyone stared at her, but the girl didn’t even bother to look at them as she made her way to no other, but _Lance’s_ chair which thankfully was empty for her to sit on. Keith heard his teammate sucking in a surprised gasp as Layla ceremoniously put the bag on the handle of the chair and plopped down her small head as if it was a pillow. And closed her eyes.

“Uhhh …” Shiro let out, but everyone kept their looks on her. She looked even _more_ exhausted than when she first came here which led to Keith thinking she possibly could’ve had a very long, unblinking night. He didn’t know why the vision of her alone, in the dark, not succeeding in falling asleep made him hurt in a way that he’s never felt before. Perhaps in the future he never let go of Lance so he held on to his daughter instead. Daughter probably wasn’t even _his,_ seeing how there was no way Lance would want to be with him.

“Are we sure we want her sleeping in here while we discuss Paladin stuff?” Hunk asked, but no one answered him. Eventually her breathing became slower, her brows settled from furrowed into neutral and her little body sunk lower in Lance’s chair like … like she’d slept there thousands of times.

“Well, I did call you in here because of Layla. So it seems that it _does_ concern her so I think there’s no problem about her presence,” Allura said and when Keith’s eyes fell on her he saw her fondly staring at the sleeping Layla. She was here for less than a day and already had everyone wrapped around her finger. _What a kid._

Pidge came forwards with her laptop to Coran. “I looked into the readings the Yek’hitians sent us and although I can’t tell how exactly she came here – I did notice some interesting stuff.”

Allura nodded pleasantly at that and suddenly a picture was shown on the huge screen.

It looked like it showed the heat signature of the atmosphere, but with different colors instead of the usual green, blue and red he was used to it. Those here were purple, black and white. On the picture, everything looked relatively normal in his opinion. The white color was stretching out in a small circle in the middle, with the black color next around it, and at the end – a nice shade of dark purple that seemed it was leaking out of the ends of it. The resemblance was strongly to a simple mosaic or a snail shell.

“So this was – let’s say day thirty four – on this planet from where we found Layla. The radiation levels are extremely high, but not out of the ordinary after the Galra slipped in the gas thousands of years before,” Pidge informed and fixated her glasses. Keith wondered if it was a nervous tick for her, she always touched them whenever she talked. “The oxygen is a bit lower than a normal human is used to which is why she’s so tired right now, but all in all everything looks fine on this day.”

She then clicked on a button and the picture changed. Instead of those three colors only, now a whole a painting of all the colors Keith could name and think of were plastered everywhere on the screen. Blue in all shades with red and yellow, orange and green. There was brown at the seams, but also at the core with flecks of violet and pink around too. As if someone had took a bucket and threw it all over the place.

“And this is day thirty five. I still can’t read shit on what all the colors mean. I can’t detect any differences on the chemical levels, but it seems that something _did_ happen without nothing happening at the same time,” she muttered, muffled by her fist that had found a place on her lips. “Like it popped out of _nowhere_.”

“What if it’s some natural phenomenon that appears because of the radiation?” Hunk offered, but Pidge shook her head in refusal at that.

“I would’ve caught it eventually when I filtered all of the information from after the Galran attack. Absolutely nothing – this happened for the first time on this planet’s history.”

Keith nodded in understanding at that, his eyes never leaving the screen.

“Which is where Layla comes in,” Pidge said. “According to the Yek’hitians, which is why they called us for aid, even scientists from their home planet noticed this anomaly. And according to them and Coran _this_ ,” then she thrusted a finger at the colors, “is apparently a very, _very_ huge crack in the matter. Time and space literally deformed themselves before settling in again back to normal. Which is fucking insane, because I still can’t read anything so I’m just going by what everyone has told me for now.”

She looked very disturbed by that, Keith noticed. No facts or proof from where she could read more about this. They were all going blind in here with the only provider for solid information sleeping and unwilling to talk. Except if it was about hair ties and her daddy maybe.

“Do the Yek’hitians know what that is?” Allura questioned, an obvious crease between her brows. “Surely they might have something.”

“Unfortunately – no,” Pidge sighed tiredly. “We’re lucky that they even told us this much.”

Keith never thought he was dumb, in fact, he prided himself on being smart. After all, he _did_ get into the Garrison and found the Blue Lion.

But the moment Hunk, Allura Pidge and Coran started throwing scientific terms and too long words around, he decided that it was best for him not to keep up with the conversation anymore, otherwise a headache would form. He noticed that Shiro and Lance were doing the same. There were different kinds of intelligence so it didn’t get to him at all, but he couldn’t help but notice the wistful looks Lance was giving the group. As if he beat himself up that he couldn’t provide anything good into the discussion.

Just when Keith decided to reassure him in any way, a noise was heard from behind them.

They all comically snapped their heads to the source and saw Layla getting up from her seat, motions sloppy and uncoordinated. Her face looked paler than before and she let out a small groan, clutching the side of her head.

“Can I …” she couldn’t even let the words out. Lance wasted no time in coming to her side, his knee touching the floor, while his hand carefully raised like he was afraid that she’d pull away if he touched her.

“You okay, _querida_?”

Keith took a small step forward too when Layla whimpered.

“Can I have some water, please?”

“Ah- yes, yes, of course I’m sure that uh we– uhh,” Lance seemed like he was panicking and he looked back to his friends, specifically for Keith who immediately sprung into the action. He jogged towards the kitchens, walls blurry from how fast he was running, and took one of the small bottles of water from the mini fridge that Hunk always kept in for after training and missions.

When he came back to the bridge, Lance had Layla’s head on his shoulder who was breathing rapidly like she was trying to get oxygen into her lungs, but they gave up mid-way. Her hair was sticking onto her forehead, sticky and wet from sweat. The wheezing that came out of her mouth was like a knife into his heart. _Stars_ , Keith’s hands were shaking and so were Lance’s as he caressed her face, trying to clean it. Shiro was pacing next to Lance and Allura had a hand covering her mouth in shock. It was good, however, that they didn’t seem to crowd over her. Keith knew it would get even worse if the team did that.

“Here,” said Keith, giving her the bottle, which he opened on his way back when he figured out she wasn’t going to be strong enough to do it alone in her condition. “Small sips.”

Her hand, trembling, took it from him and Lance’s worried expression grew even more when she couldn’t even lift it to her lips. Keith’s whole body felt like it was squeezing onto itself in misery at the sight. _What the fuck was even happening?_

_“Papi,”_ she croaked out and time seemed to still. It froze and it went back into motion. Then it froze again just like Lance whose hand, Keith noticed, tightened around her shoulder protectively. For the first time Layla had acknowledged Lance and it was a bit fucked up that it had to happen under those circumstances. “Papi … my … my backpack. T-the f-first pocket …”

Lance acted before she could finish and made a grab for the bag where there was a tiny pocket at the front with a zipper. Lance’s breathing mirrored Layla’s from all the anxiety he was feeling right now, but all Keith could do was stand and watch. Because it wasn’t his kid. It was Lance’s. No matter if she was from the future and Lance looked like he could be her older brother, rather than father. Layla was _his_ daughter.

The Blue Paladin pocketed something and took it out, very gentle as not to jostle the girl too much. It was a plastic or metal white rectangle which seemed like it didn’t have any buttons. Keith’s confusion and panic grew larger. What if she … God what if she _died_ in Lance’s arms because they didn’t know what to do? The thought almost had Keith throwing up on the floor from despair.

They all noticed Lance turning it over and over again, trying desperately to understand how it worked. He let out an annoyed growl when he failed another attempt to get past the confusion and the purpose of this device.

_“No,”_ Layla croaked, choked more like it and reached out with her free hand. Keith looked away. _“Papi, tengo que tocarlo para que funcione.”_

Lance didn’t look surprised by the perfect Spanish that was let out from her dry lips; probably didn’t even have time to react, but his brain seemed to know what to do and he tenderly took a hold of her weak hand and pressed it to the device. The thin lines on it immediately lit up in blue and from the bottom, a small click was heard and then it let out a purple pill from the bottom of it. Adrenaline maybe got the best of Layla since she found some of the withering power in herself to grab it and put it in her mouth. Afterwards she took a huge gulp of water and she didn’t stop drinking until the small bottle was halfway empty now.

Keith eagerly accepted it back. His heart was a solid rock in his throat and in his chest. Layla took some deep breaths with Lance shushing her softly. His lips pressed to the crown of her head and Keith could hear faint words of comfort and love being spoken in Spanish.

Layla took one deep breath again.

And then she passed out from exhaustion in her father’s arms.

  
  
* * *

The meeting ended with no success after what the team had just watched. Not because Layla caused every living being’s heart in this room to stop, but also because Pidge nor Coran had any explanation of the situation of the matter being split and cracked on day thirty five on the planet Dokhyna. The picture stayed being projected on the huge screen as if anyone who had ideas on what could’ve possibly caused this – to say them out loud. Yet, Keith had absolutely nothing. But it wasn’t as if he even tried to think thoroughly about it, when all of his brain could storage right now were the two people that were just a few meters away from him.

After the scare of Layla’s breakdown, Lance didn’t even try to participate. He probably wasn’t even mentally with them anymore.

The first thing the Blue Paladin did after Layla fainted was to take her fully into his arms and sit on his own chair, the little girl now cuddled to his chest where he rocked her slightly. His strong arms were like vines, wrapped defensively around her small body while he occasionally stroked her forehead and then plant a small kiss from time to time. He could even see his mouth moving, probably whispering sweet things in his mother tongue. But Lance’s eyes were haunted now, the usual vibrant blue with no life or happiness. Just a void – endless tunnels with no end. Keith wished he was brave enough to go there and stroke his worries away, kiss him and tell him everything was okay now.

Layla was peacefully sleeping, the color on her skin returning to that same warm brown, and she wasn’t sweating buckets anymore. Keith had a very strong desire to also hug her and make sure she was okay. She very obviously was, but … _just_ to make sure. To actually feel there was nothing wrong anymore. That choking and that wheezing were on constant loop in his ears; like demons who had found his personal nightmare and hell.

Coran had offered to check her vitals, but Lance only tightened his grip on Layla as an answer. The Altean man didn’t need another hint and backed away with a troubled expression. The air was filled with nervous thickness and Keith fidgeted on his place, uncomfortable and feeling out of place.

Out of nowhere, Keith felt the familiar clutch of a metal hand and he melted under it. Shiro took his shoulder and turned him around like a ragdoll with his little brother not even resisting. The warmth of Shiro’s chest was welcomed and suddenly, it was too much of an effort to keep the tears down. He gulped past the ball in his throat. _God._

Shiro squeezed him and Keith felt him putting his cheek on the top of his head, arms engulfing him around like a shield. Takashi Shirogane always did that perfectly. He protected and loved so generously that there was not a possibility of not returning back the same from what you received.

“You okay?” A question and Keith wished he could disappear. He was too afraid to answer, too scared of what it could mean if he said it out loud. Confirmed it. Because Keith _wasn’t_ okay.

_He was terrified._

“This was pretty appalling,” was what he said instead. He could hear the steady heartbeat of his brother and Keith innocently pressed his ear to it, taking comfort in that Shiro was _okay_ at least. “I thought that she’d … _God, Shiro–_ ”

It felt like he’d taken a leap from a jagged cliff and now he was falling deeper into darker and darker thoughts, each getting more gruesome and more depressing than the other. The image of Layla choking and never waking up again was the worst torment that his traitorous mind could’ve put him through. And still he didn’t understand why.

“I know,” Shiro returned simply. “It looked like an allergy reaction, but … I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Allergy reaction? From what she could’ve possibly be allergic to? She ate her food last night and nothing happened. Unless it was a very slow process until her system gave out.

“I don’t think Lance will be okay after this,” Keith mumbled and resisted the desire to look at said boy again. He’d probably be in the same position as the last time, hardly ever changing.

Shiro sighed. “I think every parent would be if they see their own child like this.”

“Yeah, but why am I–” Keith couldn’t even say the words.

_Why am I feeling like I won’t be okay either?_

Shiro didn’t answer at all, but Keith took notice of the slight tension that seeped through his shoulders and travelled down to the rest of his body. Instead his brother took in a long breath.

“Listen I think–”

“Paladins!” Allura called out over what Shiro had been trying to say and Keith immediately unglued himself away from the warm embrace of the Black Paladin. The princess stood at the center of the room, in her own battle gear – armor white and pink – a the warrior this whole universe needed her to be. But now she looked … not as inspirational or joyous. Keith knew the reason why. “I think that’s it for the morning! Prepare for a wormhole in two doboshes as we have been called to help a planet we’ve already freed. Just an easy mission, nothing too harsh.”

Coran nodded at her little speech and was already walking to the controls when a small voice rose over.

“Wait! No!”

Keith jerked to his left in time to see Lance waking up from his accidental nap, startled from Layla’s exclamation. The Red Paladin could see him pulling her to him on reflex, but she fought off his restrain immediately and he let her off with a confused look. The girl climbed down from the chair and grabbed her backpack, opening it behind Lance’s seat so no one could see what remained inside. She was back to being normal and Keith’s heart soared in the sky at the fact.

There were the sounds of rustling and maybe widgets colliding slightly with the polished floor, but then Layla reappeared back with a black cube and something that resembled a thick tablet with handles on each sides coming out of it. She sat down on the floor and put the items next to her, her head snapping upwards to look at the picture that Pidge still didn’t take down. Layla squinted as Lance leaned a bit closer to look at what was she trying to do.

Then she took the cube first and fiddled around with it, turning it over and over like it was a rubik’s one, but the difference here was that the thing was entirely black with no colors or symbols to show if her technique was the right one to solving it. But she looked like she knew what she was doing so no one bothered her at all. A small beeping noise was heard when Layla snapped it to the right and a green hologram flew over it.

Then, a picture, similar to the messy colorful one appeared. And there was obvious writing underside it which Keith didn’t recognize at all. There were swirling marks and dots and had no resemblance to any Earth language Keith had ever seen.

Pidge was the one who stepped in closer. “Now what the fu–”

_“Pidge.”_ Shiro was quick to warn.

“Those are called time storms,” Layla announced. “They happen whenever they want, but they’re not really rare. If you want to travel in time – you need a time storm otherwise it wouldn’t work.”

“No way!” Hunk breathed out while Pidge looked like she was going to cry herself from happiness or collapse from this new scientific fact.

Layla tucked a curly lock behind her ear. “Um … yeah. This cube shows me when the next time storm will be and if I’m not here for when it happens, then I can’t go back into my own time.”

Those were the most words she had said since the moment she arrived.

Her voice cracked at the end of the sentence and so did Keith’s heart.

“Doesn’t that mean you can still travel around? We can still go back for when the time storm comes?” Shiro asked carefully and Layla eyed the cube in front of her with guilt. It appeared that she for sure knew more things that she decided to tell so Keith was silently hoping she would explain.

Layla sighed. “I can do that, but … the time storms can change at any time. And I have to be on the exact same place on which I arrived here if I want this to work.”

The pause between all of them was settled now, silence over them like a heavy blanket. She looked very nervous and she started scratching her fingers when everyone stared at her. Her blue eyes seemed huger than before from how she owlishly blinked at Allura now.

“We have to stay here. _Please._ I just wanna go home.”

Allura gave up without a fight while Lance lovingly was looking at his daughter. Keith was getting high on his smile. It meant that he was getting back to himself just like the rest of them. “When is the next time storm then?”

Layla’s lips moved into a tiny, cute hesitant smile that was too innocent for his liking. And in the sweetest tone she could’ve possibly do, she said :

“In one week.”

“What do you mean I can’t go?!”

The angry growl in his voice was unrecognizable even in his own ears and he tried not to stare at all the shocked aliens that eyed him from where he had stood up from his seat. Lance’s blood was pulsing with such anger and ferocity and honestly, he couldn’t give less than two fucks about what the Scientific Cabinet thought of his behavior right now. He had every damn right to be angry. How could a bunch of highly intelligent group of aliens managed to miss a ten year old stealing tech from them? He had to talk to Pidge about the security.

“Well, if the little Miss McClain had been a little less reckless – we wouldn’t have been in this situation, Blue Paladin.” An Olkarion male had called out, dressed in a white lab apron with the logo on the front.

Lance gritted his teeth, eyes narrowing with his voice dripping of poison.

“Careful there. That’s my fucking daughter you’re talking about,” he said and conveyed with his eyes to the man, how careless he was he would be if he said one more thing about his family. Layla was a little girl, alone, lost in the middle of the past, somewhere far away from him. Far from her own family.

He had to take a few deep breaths to calm down.

If only Keith was here. Even years of fighting a war, everyone still deemed his husband the more intimidating. Which he was, of course, but it didn’t mean that Lance wasn’t capable of great violence if someone dared to go against those he loved.

But that was okay – let them underestimate his anger.  
It would just be more satisfying in the end.

“Mr. McClain, your daughter was the first known time traveler in universal history. Please understand that my team and I weren’t prepared for this kind of situation,” said Ryner from where she was standing up, on the podium as the rightful leader she was. She was softer and kinder with her words for now which he appreciated infinitely. Because no matter how much rage he felt, towards Layla and towards himself, was better than sinking into the worry that began freezing his whole body the moment Pidge had called to him, saying that Layla was gone. Used the TTP and went back in time.

He should’ve known she’d try something stupid like that, _if only he kept an eye–_

“And Layla used tech which is unstable and not finished yet. We didn’t confirm anything. It’d take us _at least_ two phoebs to bring her back. And that’s the minimal alternative,” muttered Pidge next to him and he felt her hand sliding into his, squeezing it tenderly. Lance sighed and pushed tears of anger and despair back. It wasn’t the time to cry no matter how much he wanted to.

“Time is different everywhere, Mr. McClain. It could be two phoebs for us while two quintants for her,” said a Galran female scientist whom Lance had seen talking to Layla a few times.

“Or it could be two decaphoebs for all we know,” fired darkly Lance. “Why can’t I just get the second TTP and go to her so at least she won’t be alone? You can tell me on which time storm we have to get on and I will.”

“Because the tech is unstable after Layla went back in time,” informed a human where they stood on Ryner’s left. They had huge glasses and were going through papers, not even looking Lance in the eyes as they continued. “She accidentally used too much matter quintessence which is probably what caused her into going too back in the timeline than she originally wanted. If we tried to get you back with her – you might not even make it, Mr. McClain.”

“Can we track the exact year or date?” Lance demanded and shook off from Pidge’s grip so he could lean his hands on the table.

Pidge huffed and clicked a few buttons on her tech watch. “I can’t say for sure … possibly decades. Time where she wasn’t even born yet.”

Everyone in the room hissed in a breath and Lance’s heart fell in his stomach. _Oh God._ That could mean a lot of bad things happening to his little girl if she stayed too long in a time where she doesn’t exist yet. He visited enough lectures with his insisting daughter to know.

He felt his legs shaking and not caring anymore if he looked scary or not, Lance collapsed into his chair, fingers tugging at the short locks of his hair. He tried to get his breathing under control, but all kinds of negative possibilities and outcomes played in his mind.

Pidge reached out and rubbed his back in comfort.

“I’m sorry, Lance. The best thing we can do right now is hope that she doesn’t use the TTP for the next time storm … or she won’t be able to make it.”

_Breathe breathe breathe  
In and out; in and out. Just imagine Keith is here with you. Keith who could always calm him with just a feathery touch, a gentle kiss or words that were always enough for you._

“When is the closest time storm?”

A dangerous question and Lance’s fear for the answer was a black hole, bigger than the biggest planet he had ever seen, ready to swallow everything on its path.

Ryner rubbed her forehead and her face was scrunched in pity.

“For us – it would be tomorrow. We still have no information on when it would be for Layla since she took one of the storm predictor cubes.”

_Of course she fucking did._ This girl either didn’t do anything at all or did everything perfectly with no mistakes. There was never in between or middle ground for her. Layla would never settle for average.

A huge bear-like alien, with fur and kind eyes fixed their gaze on Lance. “We will do everything in our power to bring your daughter back, Blue Paladin.”

All the aliens and humans nodded in agreement and Lance’s gratitude made the hot unshed tears to go up at the surface. Everything in his life was falling apart right now. First Keith, then Layla and he couldn’t even imagine how he’d explain this catastrophe to the team or to his–

Alarms started blaring through the speakers, red and loud, interrupting his inner monologue. It was like a punch to the face and everyone sprung to their feet, including Lance. The sound was cutting through his headache like a blazing knife, but Lance still managed to activate his bayard in no time, with Pidge not wasting time to unlock her either. The whole room was waiting in anticipation while Lance cut through the mass of worried people and stood on the front – raised rifle, ready to shoot at anything that looked like a threat to him and to all the people who were the only ones who could bring his child back to him.

Soon enough, the doors departed and an Altean man stood on the entrance, his eyes big and bulging with his chest going frantically up and down. At the sight of Lance’s weapon he immediately raised his hands up, but Lance dropped his bayard instead when he saw the badge hanging from his neck and the white apron that everyone who worked here wore.

“Ryner! Someone has broken in in the Time Travel sector!”

“What?!” Pidge shrieked and marched to Lance’s said, her green bayard ready to be used. “What the fuck do you mean? Who?!”

“We don’t know yet!” The man replied, his voice high and afraid. “Camera security is working on identification as we speak! But they stole the other TTP, the last one! We were too late, they’ve escaped and we can’t track them!”

Lance was fuming at this point. His head turned to Ryner whom looked in absolute shock.

“Who else knows the password to the section besides all the people in this room?”

He stared over her shoulder, at where a video began playing – very obvious footage of that person or perhaps an alien breaking in. All the scientists and Lance watched, but whoever the thief was – they were smart enough to hide with a mask hiding their nose and mouth, and a pulled hood over their head.

“No one!” Ryner defended. “No one except for you and–”

And then it _happened_.

The stealer, after grabbing all items needed, turned around and after that small motion – Lance’s sniper eyes still caught it. Even though they kept their head downwards, Lance would recognize them anywhere. How many times had he looked at that face and made it smile, laugh and look at Lance with all the unconditional love? It hit Lance like a fast going train and he felt like he was in those movies, where someone was tied on the rails, with no hope for someone to save him.

Because that face?

That face had just taken his only ticket to his daughter and doomed themselves in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- i am so so excited to hear your feedback and theories again ✨ ! and i hope i scared you all with layla in this chpater ;) i promise you again that everything in this story is planned and nothing is a coincidence!
> 
> \- ok so, just to be clear - i'm totally bullshitting all the science in this fic. i am a history and literature nerd, physics and math are literally my weakest subjects. of course, i'm giving my best effort for all of this to sound believable, but don't take it too seriously otherwise i'd throw myself :::::)))
> 
> \- let me just explain how time works : time is different for layla and lance in the future. for her one month passed since she used the Time Travel Prototype (TTP) while for Lance - only one day. Just explaining it again if no one understood!
> 
> I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! SEE YOU NEXT TIME! 💗🌙🖋️


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He noticed that she wasn’t like him exactly. Which was perfectly fine, your own children have their own personality and it wasn’t as if Lance had inherited all of the qualities his parents had. But Layla was different in a way that he couldn’t put his finger on; in a way that was not familiar to himself, but to _someone else._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi bbies! i missed you all! i wanted to post on sunday, but i couldn't finish the chapter on time by then so YUH. this one is aaaaalmost 7k words which i hope makes up for the wait! i think posting once in a week sounds okay, no? tell me what you think!
> 
> ENJOY THE CHAPTER LOVELIES! 💗🌺

_Before you dive into this chapter - i used the Episode App to create somehow a digital version of Layla so you can guys envision her even better than before! SInce I can't draw - this is the least i could do! (she looks a bit older than a kid, so maybe her as a teenager?? idk lmao) :D LOOK AT WHAT A CUTIE SHE IS :_

####  _chapter four – outside_

When Lance was twelve, Veronica broke her hand from when she fell off a tree.

Lance and Rachel dared her and claimed she was too much of a chicken to do it. Truthfully, Lance didn’t expect that she would actually go for it – and so did his twin. Veronica has always been so composed, neat and serious even as a little girl, but her fear of heights back then was the only thing stopping her from being the greatest among the McClain siblings. So Veronica glowered at them behind her huge glasses, uncrossed her arms and did it. She began climbing the big apple tree in their backyard with full determination in every move.

To this day he could still hear his sister’s broken scream from when she collided with the ground. Her cries of help that it hurt too much, _it hurt, it hurt …_

His heart was like glass at that moment, breaking into millions of pieces with every whimper and painful moan that Veronica couldn’t hold back in her throat. Because Veronica never liked to show she was afraid or if she was aching. He wouldn’t forget his mother’s eyes, containing so much fear and panic at the sight of Veronica wheezing from all the tears as her arm was bent in the wrong way. His father ran to their car while his mom tried to help her oldest daughter stand, trying not to hurt her in the process.

Lance still remembered the tears that were falling on his mom’s cheeks, wondering why she cried. It was not _her_ arm that was broken – so why did she cry?

_“Lo siento, lo siento mucho cariño,”_ she would say through her own cries, trying to lift Veronica from the ground while he and Rachel helplessly watched. _“Está bien, está bien.”_

But even with all the grief enveloping his heart, Lance wanted to ask. Why was his mom apologizing? It was not her fault, it was his and Rachel’s. Why did she cry? He could never get it and frankly, he was too afraid to ask his mother. So he never did.

It wasn’t until he held his own daughter in his arms, choking and wheezing, too weak to even talk that Lance finally understood.

Because all of this helplessness that Lance saw on his own mother, the tears and the fear?

_He felt it._

He felt it so deep into the core of his heart and every breath that Layla couldn’t take was his own personal torture. He would rather be handed over to Haggar than experience those emotions ever again.

Because his mother cried, and his mother apologized because she wanted to take the pain away, but she couldn’t. This was why Lance had felt so desperate and dejected. Because he would rather feel what Layla did instead of watching her from the side, so helpless and so pathetic.

“I’m staying here.”

After Layla announced what time storms were and how she couldn’t move away from the galaxy, even from the planet, his team was split and confused on what to do next when it came down to being called for help. After all, they were _Voltron_. That was their job and that was their duty – to protect, help and attack if needed. He could see Shiro’s eyes darting nervously to the side, watching the message and Hunk biting the skin on his knuckles. Pidge and Keith didn’t look conflicted, but there was a notable strain that Lance noticed in Keith’s stance.

So Lance made a decision that didn’t require much thought.

“What?”

Allura placed her hard glance on his face from when she was speaking to Coran, but Lance was already prepared and squared his shoulders. He wasn’t backing down on this. He wouldn’t.

“I said--”

“I heard what you said,” Allura snapped and Lance glared at her. “Why?”

Lance opened his mouth to answer. To say how they should go and help the planet and its inhabitants, that just because he was missing didn’t mean that the mission would be unsuccessful. That he would rather stay behind and selfishly have some time with his daughter than go on a simple mission that was surely going to be a supply run.

A mission he’d probably ruin anyways so what was really the point of going?

But before he could say all he wanted to, it was Keith who marched to him and looked up at his face. Lance didn’t miss how Layla tracked the Red Paladin with her eyes and inched closer to him from her seat on the floor. Why was she so … _attached_ to him? Was Lance not a good parent in the future to the point his own kid wanted someone else?

“Stop doing that,” Keith suddenly hissed, his face twisting into one with anger and frustration. Although Lance’s shoulders bunched at his tone, already on the defensive, like Keith was an wild animal going in for an attack, he saw that the anger wasn’t directed at him per se.

He raised a nonchalant brow. Tried to pretend and put on the mask of indifference because the close proximity to Keith was too much to bare. His heart tried to escape away from his chest, but Lance didn’t let it. Would never let it apparently if he had a child with someone else who wasn’t Keith.

“Doing what?” Lance whispered back, confused on what was Keith trying to say.

The other boy however didn’t give a proper answer. He huffed, nostrils widening and his hands tightened on the grab he had of his leather jacket from where he had crossed his arms. Keith always did that whenever he couldn’t express himself with words, Lance knew. It was cute, adorable even, when he probably didn’t realize he was doing it. He always had these tells about him.

Keith wasn’t great with words, but his body language was a whole book.

Keith was open in a way with his eyes and body instead that whatever answers you needed – you could always get them if you knew when and how to look. Lance didn’t understand how he could ever think of his friend as stoic or emotionless when Keith was the opposite of that. A boy of actions who did more than he ever could say. Expressions so sincere and true that Lance himself didn’t have enough words in his Spanish or English dictionary to describe them.

“You just think that we won’t need you there! Which is stupid!” Keith whispered an yell and Lance looked around the room, praying that no one heard him. He noticed all of their stares and panic settled in his gut. Keith continued. “Just--”

“Keith,” Lance warned and he took advantage of those inches he had on him to try to make himself look taller and more intimidating. Not that it would work against the best fighter on the team next to Shiro who could kill him with just two moves, but it was worth a try. It wasn’t Keith’s business to boast about Lance’s deepest insecurities in front of the team. “I’m doing this for Layla. Drop it.”

Keith’s indigo eyes flared in anger up at him. “No.”

Lance took a step closer, but Keith didn’t back down. Not that he expected him to do. Lance knew that Keith only had good intentions, and he appreciated how much the other cared, but …

“You are the Blue Paladin--” Keith started, but Lance stopped him halfway.

“And you need to _shut up._ ”

_“Make me.”_

It was just him and Keith now, their noses and foreheads almost touching like the day before where the boy calmed him down from having a breakdown. But this was different now, Lance realized bitterly. Sadly, the desire to kiss Keith’s lips never went away even when they were like this – on the verge of fighting and not backing down when the other went up. He wished Keith wasn’t so scrupulous no matter how much he loved that about him.

A petty retort was on its way to come out, words Lance knew he’d regret later on, but the heat of the moment, the bitterness of the fight was too good to resist. Keith must have seen it on his face and he looked as if he was preparing himself for the fight. And then Lance felt a small touch, a slight pull of the sleeve of his jacket.

He looked down perplexed and met Layla’s eyes staring right at him. He saw her other hand which had gripped Keith’s jeans.

“Please don’t fight,” she said in a small voice. Then she shook her head. “I don’t like it when you do that.”

Lance wanted to turn his hand around and take hers in it. The memory of her ashen and weak face was still imprinted like a photo in his brain and it felt like whenever he closed his eyes – he could still see it so perfectly clear; perfectly real. Because that happened and Lance didn’t have the slightest fucking idea on what to do and if Layla didn’t tell him about the pills in her backpack, she could’ve _died_.

That was a great reminder on why he wanted to stay behind and why Keith was wrong to assume stupid shit.

“I’m sorry, querida,” Lance crooned sweetly to her and offered her a smile. A bit of a fake one, he was going to admit. “But our buddy Keith here doesn’t seem to mind his business.”

Layla’s forehead wrinkled.

“You know what? Fine.” Keith retorted, taking a step back and when Lance glanced back at his friend, he caught his face falling into the mode of apathy and detachment. Which scared Lance in a way because this meant he couldn’t read Keith. _Couldn’t get to him._ “Whatever.”

And with that, he flipped his bangs away and walked away from Lance. Leaving the space around him cold and empty. A small sigh escaped from Layla.

“ _Great_. Now he’s even angrier,” she deadpanned.

“No he’s not,” defended Lance. His eyed the Red Paladin the entire time and he saw how calmer he seemed now when his legs carried him to their leader. No tense shoulder or furious marching. “See? He just needs to cool off--”

He began smiling, trying to comfort Layla into not worrying about arguments between two teammates of Voltron, but stopped himself when she shook her head and rolled her eyes.

_Familiar Familiar Familiar_

“Not true. If he’s silent it means you’re in real trouble.”

She said it so simply as she stretched out the vowels in _‘real’_. So easily like she knew … like she knew from experience rather than just sheer observation. Lance squinted suspiciously at her face trying to make sense of her face and her voice. But Layla was just holding on to him meanwhile tracking Keith’s every motion.

“And how would _you_ know that?” He asked.

Layla unsubtly and slightly jumped at the question, but then she blinked up innocently at him as if to ask _“How do I know what?”_ but it was too late as he already caught that. Nice try though. Lance raised his eyebrows in expectance for her answer. She bit her lip and gave him a golden fake smile even faker than his own. Damn, she really was _his_ daughter.

“I just do. I spend a lot of time with uh-- you know,” she looked idly at some point in the distance like she had to hold herself back from saying something. “ … Keith.”

Her face scrunched into one of displeasure when she said Keith’s name and her nose from left to ride like the one of a rabbit. _Familiar,_ he thought again. Why was everything about Layla so painfully familiar and yet he couldn’t figure out why and how it was.

“Lance?”

Lance stopped analyzing Layla’s face when he heard Allura call his name and his eyes fixated on the princess from the distance.

“Yeah?”

“Are you sure you want to stay? We could still leave Layla to Coran for the two vargas we’ll be gone,” she said like she was hoping he’d change his mind in just less than two minutes. For a small, very small split of the moment he thought if it was a better idea to actually go where he belonged, shoulder to shoulder with his teammates and in his Lion. But then Layla’s hand unconsciously held on a little stronger to his jacket, protective and stubborn and maybe she wanted to ask him not to leave, but couldn’t form it into words. Wasn’t probably able to do that.

“Yeah,” Lance replied undoubtedly and didn’t return Keith’s gaze from where he felt it burning his skin.

“Okay,” Allura said with an accepting sigh and then she clasped her hands together. “The rest of you – suit up! Voltron is needed!”

* * *

They decided it was best for Lance and Blue to land on Dokhyna while the Castle wormholes for where it was needed to be. Allura assured him that if there was any problem, he could inform them via a communicator that Coran handed to him before they went back to the ship. And since Pidge said the oxygen levels here were lower, he requested a helmet for Layla for he didn’t want something bad to happen again to her. He’d do anything in his powers to prevent whatever occurred on the Bridge no matter what.

They were currently outside with Layla lounging on Blue’s paw, legs kicking in back and forth as she tried to place the too big for her helmet on her head. She had grumbled in annoyance when Lance gave it to her, but didn’t say anything and put it on. Lance was tempted to ask her about the pill she took and what happened earlier, but something told him that if he tried to interrogate her – she’d only pull away. Which he didn’t want because Lance was reveling in how Layla finally showed him some warmth.

Dokhyna was a really beautiful planet, he thought passively. It really looked like a setting from a sci-fi movie mixed with in with a cyberpunk setting. Like a futuristic New York, but it missed a lot of Earth elements too if he looked too closely. There was no wind and there wasn’t a breeze. The air was as dead as a corpse. No sounds could be heard and no signs of any life whatsoever, not even animals or creatures.

A fallen ancient city no one visited anymore. Such a ghost town. Which made him wonder …

“How did you survive on this place?” Lance said, not turning back to look at Layla, but kept his eyes locked onto the landscape on the front.

He waited for her response and after a few long seconds, she decided to grant him one.

“I brought a lot of food and water with me,” Layla said. “I wasn’t sure where I would end up so it was just in case.”

Lance twirled himself back. She was patting Blue gently on one of her claws with a soft smile which was contagious enough for Lance to do the same. He noticed that she wasn’t like him exactly. Which was perfectly fine, your own children have their own personality and it wasn’t as if Lance had inherited all of the qualities his parents had. But Layla was different in a way that he couldn’t put his finger on; in a way that was not familiar to himself, but to _someone else_. Instead of loud and expressive, she was quiet and reserved, even shy.

Perhaps she was shier when she found herself in a time where he now didn’t have a bond or shared memories with her.

His eyes trailed down. “You really put a lot of things in that backpack of yours, huh?”

Layla looked up at his question and with the motion, her helmet slipped to the side. Lance’s heart soared at the cuteness.

“I wear it with me everywhere,” she answered hesitantly, but Lance could see … pride in her eyes from behind the glass. “It was a birthday present from Uncle Kashi last year ‘cuz he knows I want to be a space science explorer!”

“Wow really? That sounds awesome!” Lance put that usual expressive surprise and curiosity in his tone, using it only when talking to little kids. He didn’t know if Layla liked it or not, or if she was already deemed _“too old”_ in future Lance’s eyes though he hardly doubted that.

But she beamed like a shiny sun after a rainy day at that and maybe even a bit shocked that Lace would be interested in her dream job.

“I know!” She laughed and then jumped down to her backpack where she opened it. He tried not to invade her privacy, but it was obvious there was a lot of shit in there. Just how many things could be hints of what his life was in years? He was dying to know.

Layla pulled out a big book with brown leather covers and a lot of random stickers glued on the front. It was obviously used judging by the rumpled ends on the end of the paper and how … ruffled the whole thing looked. But despite that it still seemed as if the little girl took great care of that item. Layla rushed with her small legs to his side and all he wanted to do was to open his arms, let her fall into them. The blissful feeling of hugging her never went away, Lance noticed.

Amused by how eager she was to show him, Lance kneeled with one knee to the ground with the other prompted up. Layla settled on to sit on said knee without paying him mind and he tried not to grunt at the force and the heaviness. He could already feel his thigh cramping later, because now there was no way he’d push her away unless she wanted to go away herself.

“This is my research journal,” Layla said, puffing her chest up boastfully like she was hoping for Lance to praise her. He felt her leaning too much back and scared that she might fall, Lance entranced his hand around her waist to keep her from falling. “All the aliens and the plants, and the planets – I draw everything here! And then I write all the important stuff! See?”

And yes, when he looked down, he could see it all on the blank white sheet of thick paper. She had very obviously the abilities of a small kid so he couldn’t say if he didn’t know the drawn alien because he couldn’t recognize them or because he genuinely never met these species in all the year he had been in space. Layla had sketched a big one that looked like a mix between a penguin and … a bear? She had colored it with a lot of red and green crayons that went a bit out of the lines, but it was still so charming and adorable; at how much thought she’d obviously put in it.

A title on the top was written in black felt-tip pen and there was a description underneath the …

“What’s that?” Lance asked and yanked his gaze away from the page to look at Layla.

“This is a _Naflanian_! They like to sleep outside on the cold when it’s night and eat only fruits from special trees otherwise they get sick in their tummies! I met one a few months ago and I wanted to ask some questions, but I was too … uh …”

A strange look passed over her features and Lance snorted gently. “Too shy?”

He had figured that from the moment they’d met her.

Layla nodded up and down slowly and rubbed her hand over the page nervously. “You always tell me that I shouldn’t be ashamed if I’m shy.”

“And I’m right,” Lance immediately responded when he felt a subtle change in her mood. It was as if she was insecure in a way. “Being shy doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. It’s just who you are, querida. There is nothing wrong with that.”

Layla didn’t say anything, but he felt her leaning more onto him now. His heart was bursting at the seams from how much love and affection there was for this little girl, this small human that he would create one day, to the point he wanted to swing her around and yell at the top of his lungs how much he adored her.

Afterwards, they spent maybe an hour reading and talking about everything that Layla had written down in her journal – from bugs on a planet that could read your mind to aliens at the size of giants and titans, and even places where they were beasts who resembled freaking _dinosaurs._

They reached the end of the book, or at least to the part where Layla stopped halfway. During the tenth page, Lance proposed with a very aching thigh and a very oblivious Layla that maybe it would be better if they were chilling in the Blue Lion. She agreed with a hop off from him, excited that they’d continue talking about her interests in alien species.

A comfortable silence settled between them, her head resting on his shoulder as Lance skimmed through the pages of the journal one more time. A bit selfishly, he’d admit, it was a great ego booster that Layla was so smart and showing it from early age. Then she murmured a question in his ear.

“You don’t think it’s boring, do you?”

Lance felt as if she hit him straight in the face. She was now in his lap from where he was sitting on the pilot chair, patiently waiting for the team to come back.

“What? No!” He exclaimed, shocked. “You’re very talented! Layla, the effort and love you put into this journal is amazing! Why would you think that?”

Layla huffed sadly and her face now went more serious than before. He tried to turn his head in a certain angle to look her directly in the eyes, but she kept turning herself away stubbornly.

“I don’t know,” she admitted with a light shrug of her shoulders. “ _My--_ … um … I have a friend who does a lot of cooler things than me. I’m just … drawing stuff.”

Lance could feel himself scowling in disapproval in the middle of her sentence, feeling Blue’s sense stroking the edges of his mind with a gentle caress. It didn’t make sense somehow in his brain, that his own daughter who was obviously so smart, beautiful and creative could degrade herself so much. He’d known her for only for a day, but he could already see Layla growing up into one of the most extraordinary people he’d have the privilege of seeing and raising.

“But Layla, you’re still so young,” he told her softly. “And I think _‘drawing stuff’_ is just as cool if I’m being honest.”

Her huge hair got in his face a bit, and it smelled of that juniberry shampoo Allura used when she snuggled into him closer.

“So you’re not gonna be mad if I’m not like-- …” she started whispering and Lance hugged her tighter in an act of encouraging for her to keep going, “if I’m not like that cool friend?”

_‘You’re not gonna be mad’_ , she had said. Which, if he assumed correctly, implied that Layla hasn’t muttered a word of those drawings, and her passion to her father in the future. That hurt in a way he’d never would imagine to be. Those words were sharp knives cutting his heart all around. Didn’t she trust him back in her time? Was he a terrible parent that his only child would be afraid to confide with him?

His lips began to tremble.

“I could never be angry if you’re not like another person,” he said confidently, trying to fight the sob rising in his throat, but set on for her to believe every single word, because he _meant it._ And he was foolishly hoping that his future-self did so too. “The only person I want you to be is yourself. I would never want another Layla. _Ever._ ”

Lance assured her and so, he planted a small kiss at the top of the crown of her head. Perhaps more for his own comfort than hers.

And after that, somehow … even if he couldn’t see her face, he could swear on his life that he felt her smile.

* * *

“Hey.”

To give him the credit he always deserved, one Lance was never going to openly give, Keith didn’t jump nor gave any implications that he was startled by his voice.

The Red Paladin was lounging on one of the plushy love seats that Pidge and Hunk had bought from one of the Space Mall visits, when the whole team was introduced to the beautiful place that Allura called _‘observation deck’_. Lance himself visited this place too many times, taking comfort in the wide void and all the sparkling stars and planets that seemed so far, far away and yet Lance would claim that he could just reach out and take them in his own bare hands. He would have dreams of all the future adventures that awaited him, but he also dreamed of home.

That’s where he left his heart after all. In that big house filled with love, laughter and smiles, but also of fights and tears. He left his everything in his mother’s hands the moment he leaned down to kiss her salty, tear strained cheek at the porch of their home, dressed in the Garrison uniform they sent him through the mail.

“Estar seguro, mi hijo,” Celia Cruz muttered against his forehead that one day as she stroked his curls back lovingly.

_Be safe, my son._

His heart clenched in pain at the memory. Lance didn’t know if he could keep up his promise anymore while he was fighting in a war. And although Layla was the proof of that he _did_ survive, he wasn’t stupid enough to believe he was bulletproof now. The future wasn’t set on stone and neither was Lance. Or Keith, or the whole Voltron team for that matter.

Not even his daughter. One wrong move from him and she could be gone forever, just a dream and a possibility lost in the line of time.

Lance’s eyes squeezed and he pushed the negativity thoughts away, and when he opened them again, Keith still had his back turned on him. He had a thin blanket thrown over his shoulders, but he looked like he had barely moved an inch even when Lance greeted him. The time was roughly around after midnight now, Layla hopefully asleep in her room. After that rollercoaster of a day – she needed it more than anything. Lance had tucked her in her bed after dinner, melting when he saw her in the pajama the princess landed her, hugging a knitted plushy toy. It didn’t look like an animal from Earth, but Lance decided to ask for another day since Layla looked ready to drop dead the moment he left.

Lance completed all of his beauty nightly routines, dressed in his shirt and sweatpants, and slipped under the covers. Which ended up with him turning around for more times he could count. Which ended up with Lance ending up on a nightly walk that resulted to the decision of chilling on the observation deck, only to find Keith there.

He wasn’t surprised anymore. This did become _“their spot”_ , Lance realized with all the butterflies flying deep in his gut, after months of quiet talks and banters. And with Keith’s tendencies of a night owl? _Fuck_ … maybe some small part of him hoped and relied on the fact he’d find his teammate here.

Lance took a step and marched to where Keith was. He settled on the other side of the love seat, as far away as he could, albeit never taking his besotted gaze away from the boy. How could he? Keith looked like the most beautiful siren from all the myths and stories about them under the lights.

_‘Beautiful creatures that lurked away the sailors with their angelic appearances and voices, making the ships wreck into the rocks near the shore.’_

Keith’s long eyelashes flickered and he glanced subtly at Lance, the indigo in them so intense under the shine of the stars. Keith always managed to steal his breath away and Lance feared that one day his lungs wouldn’t catch up on time and he’d suffocate. Drown and wreck just like a shipman under the siren spells Keith used unconsciously against him.

It would be a very sweet death though.  
Lance wouldn’t say he’d mind it.

“Hey,” Lance said again. More quietly though.

More intimately.

Keith scanned him up and down, analyzing something perhaps, but at the end he just answered with nothing and turned his head back to the stars. Away he always went, running towards paths where Lance feared that someday he couldn’t follow.

“I’m not in the mood for talking,” he cut off when he probably saw with the corner of his eye that Lance opened his mouth to say something again.

“Funny,” returned Lance with a snort immediately, not even saving time to register what’d he say, because once again his lips let words slip faster than his brain. “You never really are.”

Keith’s angry glare was like a laser beam on his side profile, and no matter how much Lance wished to turn around and let himself be devoured in those purple starlight pools, he was stubbornly watching the laid out in front of him shiny dots. “You’re an asshole, you know that, right?”

Lance offered a shrug and a mocking grin. “You’re not the freshest apple in the basket either, Mullet, but you don’t hear me complaining.”

Then he tilted his head to the side, smirking at the sight of Keith’s red face. Probably from all the inward anger he was feeling right now, keeping it inside and not letting it explode.

“Do you?”

Lance didn’t know if Keith knew that he was using his flirty tone; didn’t know how he’d feel if Keith knew. But maybe Keith figured out it was all just a part of his teasing and a role he had to play so he could cover up all of his honest thoughts and desires. And God, if he didn’t have _too many_ of those. Like how Keith’s hair would feel, slipping like silk between his fingers or how his hand would feel against Lance’s lips.

Keith scoffed humorlessly, breaking their eye contest at that and hugged the blanket closer around his body. “Idiot.”

Lance chuckled lightly at that and leaned his back on the seat. He reached with his arms behind the back of his head and crossed his fingers – the picture perfect of levity and casualness. Even though his heart pounded and Lance heard it himself when the silence settled.

They watched the stars together, but now it wasn’t as comfortable as he would like.

The thing about Keith was, the thing he loved about him, that Lance never felt pressured to _talk_. Keith was awkward at times and a bit clueless, but if Lance wasn’t in the mood to engage in a conversation, Keith has never questioned it. Just let him be himself and exist in his own space and bubble. Sure, Lance loved conversations and he loved to speak, but there were times when it all became too much and he just craved for some silence. To settle down and think. To never be judged, or asked about why he was so quiet. Keith never judged him, never asked.

And so, he was content with the silence even if it felt stained with pressure and tension. His surprise was immense when Keith was the one who cut through it while losing a breath.

“I hate when you do that,” he said, but not elaborating. The words didn’t contain much emotion and Lance couldn’t trace what he meant by _‘that’_.

Lance turned his head and raised a curious brow. “I don’t kno--”

“Cut the bullshit, Lance,” Keith snapped and the fire in his eyes ignited at that as he returned the look Lance sent him. The color in them was like one of an alexandrite, precious jewels containing so much anger that it should’ve physically slammed into Lance from how _real_ it was. This wasn’t a painfully angry Keith who scowled and frowned at his antics. No. It had been a long time since his teammate dared to give him _that_ look. “I am so …”

His fingers squeezed the blanket with more force, his knuckles turned white. Lance kept his mouth shut, trying not to add more fuel into this fire. He noticed the flush on Keith’s cheeks.

“I am so fucking tired of you thinking we don’t need you,” Keith settled on. Lance’s brain finally caught on.

“Wait, is this about the fight we had today?” He groaned at that and rolled his eyes. “Keith–”

“Of course it’s about today!” He exclaimed, his voice cracking as it went high in a broken tone, and Lance almost recoiled back from the invisible force. “You always do that! I know you wanted to spend time with Layla, but–”

“It was a goddamn supply mission, holy shit man! Cool your jets – you all managed to carry some boxes without me! What’s the big deal if I wasn’t there?” Lance interrupted him and flung his arms around, expressively, feeling the anger from the morning simmer his blood. It was contagious, Keith’s rage. Lance still couldn’t see why he made a fly out of an elephant. Maybe it was a mistake to share all of this to Keith and expect the other to mind his goddamn business.

“I’m not talking about today specifically! It’s about the principal! You just think that you’re useless and worthless and that we don’t need you! How could you ever think that, Lance? It pisses me off so much!”

In the process, Keith decided that he couldn’t stay on one place and got on his feet. His hair was all over the place, a halo of black locks, and even during fighting, Lance had to gulp down a ‘woah’ from how beautiful he was. So passionate about Lance’s own insecurities like it was his problem to solve. _Which it wasn’t._

“I thought you weren’t in the mood for talking?”

It was the wrong thing to say, Lance knew. He knew he was being an asshole and deflected all of Keith’s points in order to not address them. To not confront them. Because if it led to Lance talking about his issues then he would probably cry in front of his crush and he didn’t want that in the slightest.

But unfortunately, Keith was smart enough to know that Lance skillfully used humor as a mechanism against shit like that.

“You--” he whispered dangerously, his eyes narrowing as took a step forwards, before he stopped himself.

“ _Me_? How about _you_?” Lance seethed and dropped the carefree façade in order to lean in Keith’s direction with a glare. “How about _you_ stop flaunting my insecurities around when the team is here?!”

Keith’s eyes widened a fraction and he looked shocked at what came out from Lance’s lips. As if he hasn’t considered Lance’s feelings in this at all and just now he realized what he’d done. Realizing he’d hurt Lance.

The sigh should’ve softened him, it should’ve reminded him to stop before he takes it too far, because _fuck_ Keith wasn’t a bad person for wanting to help Lance.

It should’ve, but it didn’t.

“How about tomorrow I go and start parading to our friends about how _you_ have troubles connecting with people?” _Stop, stop, stop_ was repeating in Lance’s head. Yet he continued, feeling gross and horrible at the hurt that flashed in those eyes. “Or how you think that Red and Allura keep you in Voltron only because of your fighting skills? Oh! And let’s look at how much you actually hate yourself and the fact that you’re a Galra and you think that we’ll leave you on the next stop over the smallest things because Keith here has _freaking abandonment issues!_ ”

And then Keith _flinched_.

He blinked once and he took a small step back as he _flinched_.

The badass, blade-wielding Red Paladin of Voltron, the most fearsome member of the team who knew all the ways to kill a person in negative time, amazing and strong Keith flinched as if Lance slapped him across the face. But he might’ve as well did exactly that, for the pain would probably not sting that awfully if Lance kept those ugly words behind his teeth.

Lance felt the regret looming over him, seeping all around his body. He sighed sadly and raised a hand to rub his eyes that he felt burning with incoming tears. _Fuck,_ why did he _say_ that? He thought he’d find some satisfaction in hurting Keith the same way the other boy hurt him, but … the dirtiest scum in all of the universe at this very moment was Lance McClain.

He heard Keith’s feet scraping lightly on the ground like he was leaving. _Leaving._ Lance removed his hand away and looked up on time. Keith was taking off the blanket from his shoulders and then threw it on the loveseat next to him, his face passive and cold.

Just like this morning. Putting the mask on and then Lance absolutely knew was only for a show because he’d probably break down later. Break down, because of Lance and because of what he said to him. Because as much as Keith was as strong and tough as metal, he was also sensitive, tender and warm. Easily hurt by those he loved; those he held close to his heart. And Lance was one of those people.

_“If he’s silent it means you’re in real trouble,”_ Layla had said to him.

Lance sprung onto his feet and took a hold of Keith’s wrist before he once again moved too out of reach. Unattainable. “Hey, no, listen I’m sorry–”

He made a move to smear his thumb over Keith’s pulse point lovingly, trying to transfer how much regret he felt.

_“Lance.”_ Was all Keith said and his cold fingers circled his own wrist. For a quick, swift hopeful second Lance had faith that everything was okay. But Keith didn’t touch him, because he wanted to; he touched Lance so he could wrench his hand _away from him._

Lance’s heart broke in two. And the whole world heard it.

“Let go, Lance,” insisted Keith with a vacant tone, head hung low when the Blue Paladin refused to. “Don’t make me do something I’ll regret.”

In a daze, like Lance for the first time was kicked out by force out of Keith’s heart, he detached his hand from the boy.

Helplessly watching from the outside as Keith walked away from him, his steps quick and light when they made their way towards the exit.

It felt like with every step closer to the exit, Keith was walking over the shambles of what remained from Lance’s broken heart.

And for the first time, the stars staring from the other side of the glass didn’t bring him any comfort.

* * *

Before he went to his bed after he stared at the starry sky, Lance decided to check on Layla. Just out of pure desire to see if she was okay.

Warily as not to wake her up from her slumber, he opened the doors.

And found her awake.

She didn’t hear him nor saw him, because of the fact she had thrown the covers over her own head while she was sitting, leaning her back on the wall. Lance smiled at the small bundle and the small light that he noticed, muted because of the white blanket but still visible. At first he thought it was a flashlight, but flashlights didn’t really glow in a _dark blue almost purple_ hue like the one Layla was using underneath. At least, the ones from Earth anyways.

Lance only shook his head in disapproval, but decided to let her be anyways. When he was a boy, he hated when his mother interrupted his nightly shenanigans – he was sure Layla would do so too.

So Lance closed the doors after him and walked to his own chamber, the thought that Layla’s flashlight illuminated a color that was too familiar, never leaving his mind even long after he fell into a deep slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> phew, that was a heavy one me thinks :// don't boo me pls :((
> 
> \- i hope u liked the layla/lance bonding! layla is a smartie so she knows she can't say much to lance because of butterflies effects and all that shit, y'know? but after all, she is ten years old (still a kid) so she's gonna slip from time to time and say things she shouldn't. but it's okay, our boys do be kinda dense lmao
> 
> \- so about the klance fight (i listened to outside by ellie g a lot which is what inspired the title of the chapter hehe) - i planned that to happen a long time ago and it felt like the perfect time. rn, they're both at that "really close" friends stage (with crushes ofc), but just because they're friends doesn't mean they can't have fights! so lance is a bit of a comfort character and i've always loved how his insecurites overlap with mine so i hope i did him justice. there are no wrongs or rights in this one - it's more of keith who is seeing that lance is hurting but can't approach the matters correctly and he makes some mistakes. it's okay! and lance said some awful shit, but that's okay too! we all say stuff we mean or we don't mean, but we're only human. to learn from past experiences is the most important part :) 🌹
> 
> \- YOUR THEORIES AND RANTS FROM THE LAST CHAPTER!! I LOVED IT ALL!! you guys know i'm an attention seeking whore so even the slightest compliment or comment makes me want to go and hug and kiss u all! it's also a great motivator! whenever i lose some inspiration, i go back to read some comments and boom! them fingers start flying on the keyboard! so don't be shy and tell me what you think, your theories and predictions, and feels! i'll read and respond to them always. 
> 
> \- I. AM. SO. EXCITED. FOR. THE. NEXT. CHAPTER. - u guys I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT since i posted the first chapter LMAO. just saying :)))))
> 
> SO I HOPE I SEE U NEXT TIME! 🪐✨🌙🖋


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The one week that Layla needed for the time storm went in a blur and soon there were only two days left until she had to leave._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woooow you guys!! 3k hits!! i am so grateful for each one of you holy SHIT! i didn't expect this fic to get so much attention, but oh my god -- you are all absolutely incredible! i love yall so much!
> 
> \- i want to apologize for how long it took me to write this chapter, but i am a senior in HS and we came back from online which kicked my ass from all the tests and homeworks the teachers gave us. it was so tiring and i was barely sleeping so i couldn't really produce anything good. but i managed! and i hope you like this 11k monster. it's the longest chapter in the fic so far and i hope u like it!
> 
> E N J O Y !

####  _chapter five — jealous of the silent beauty_

The one week that Layla needed for the time storm went in a blur and soon there were only two days left until she had to leave.

Because Pidge had been strictly tracking if there would be any disturbances or if there would be an earlier storm, she assured Layla and the team that there was one in a million chance for the time storm to change its schedule. So Allura proposed the good idea that they at least visit the neighboring Yek’htians and their planet to offer a place in the Space Alliance, and thank them for the information that led them to Layla.

Keith could see that the small girl was worried and hesitant on leaving Dokhyna, alas Lance went down on one knee to whisper something in her ear while he patted her backpack. He had raised an inviting brow and the smile that broke out on Layla’s face blinded the whole room. Keith turned his head away before he could see the same beautiful grin on Lance, that was identical to hers.

Ever since the fight on the observation deck from four days ago, he and the Blue Paladin weren’t really on speaking terms. And due to the lack of missions, they didn’t even need to communicate at all. Keith never had any true and real friends before Voltron and Shiro so he simply didn’t know if Lance hated him now because of this argument. Even when Lance was the one who said meaner things. But … Keith wasn’t perfect on his end either, was he? He had been just as awful when he started speaking up in front of everyone about all the things that Lance said to him. He trusted him enough to confide in _Keith_ of all people and he just couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Because he was _stupid_ and didn’t know how to help his friend in a way that wouldn’t hurt or embarrass Lance.

And yet here they were – both stubborn and both refusing to talk about it.

It hurt a lot.

Keith didn’t realize how much of a vital part was Lance in his daily life. He didn’t know if he had the same effect on Lance too, but after all the training and his alone time, Keith felt himself aching to interact with him. To hear one of his dumb jokes, to talk and make fun of Shiro behind his back, tease and banter, or hang out simply because they _could_ now when they were actual friends. He missed his devilish grin and smiles.

Keith also knew that the rest of the team had felt the slight tension and he’d been ignoring Shiro’s pointed looks at him over breakfast and dinner when Lance didn’t taunt him as usual. As if their teammates relied on their repartees for the sheer point of normalcy. And frankly, Keith felt it too. Now the Voltron meetings were just a tad more silent when he and Lance weren’t messing around.

Besides, nowadays, Lance spent a lot of his time with Layla which was perfectly fine, she was his daughter after all, he was allowed to. Although, Keith felt too ridiculous that he was jealous of a fucking _child_ that received his crush’s attention more than him.

Red purred a curious question, probably sensing his mood getting sourer with all of his thoughts and Keith smiled, caressing gently the dashboard.

“I’m okay, you big kitty,” he said and jumped slightly in his seat when her enormous paws landed on the smooth surface that covered the surface of Yek’hitia. If Dokhyna was a futuristic version of a city, with tall buildings and long, narrow streets – then Yek’hitia was the complete opposite of that.

From high enough when he and the rest were flying, Keith saw the outskirts of the capital. It was shaped in a circle with a very high building, resembling a taller and bigger Colosseum, rising in the center of it, inspiring fear, but respect at the same too. There were huge columns, sparkling under the hot sun like they were made of glittering jewels, all around the place with strong looking bridges, bending over at the water that was drowning the city beautifully. The only thing Keith could’ve compared the city too was a strange architecture mixture of Venice and ancient Rome.

The sea on its right side glimmered and was in a wonderful turquoise color, getting darker and emerging with other shades of blue, creating a palette of such colors that Keith had to contain back a dreamy sigh.

Keith kept his helmet on as he emerged from Red’s mouth, wishing to smell the air and breathe in deeply. They landed the Lions and the Castle on what looked like, a rectangle runway perched on the top of a mountain, made specifically for the purpose because Keith noticed highly advanced battle cruisers and pods organized next to one another. Ready to fight and defend the land if needed. He nodded silently in approval to himself.

He noticed Shiro, Hunk and Allura were already talking with each other so Keith made his way to them.

“This place is really gorgeous,” commented Keith quietly and all heads turned to him. Shiro and Hunk nodded in agreement, but it was Allura who grinned in delight, her eyes shining in excitement.

“Oh Keith, I know right? Altea had a similar build, but with more technology filled in everything! Nevertheless, Zalia is indeed a diamond!”

Hunk popped his mouth open, tilting his head in curiosity. “Did Alfor know about this place?”

Allura turned to the Yellow Paladin and nodded in agreement.

“My father had great knowledge about almost everything! I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew about Yek’hitia! Though I’m visiting myself for the first time just as you all.”

A familiar voice cut through the warm air. “You guys! We have to check out the beach, it looks _awesome_!”

Keith side glanced behind his left shoulder along with all of his teammates who looked at where Lance and Pidge were coming from. And his heart gave a loud thud against his ribcage before it quickened when he reveled at the sight of his friend and Layla on top of his shoulders whom was grinning in pure delight. Her head was rotating all around, drinking in everything that surrounded them like she it was her personal mission not to miss all the details Yek’hitia had to offer. Keith had to admit he hasn’t seen her this happy and excited ever since she’d come here. And she was supposed to leave in two days which caused the smile Keith didn’t know he was sporting, to fall down.

“You can take your helmets off, guys,” said Pidge, her own helmet held between her hip and arm. “I checked the atmosphere so it’s all good.”

“Oh thank God,” Hunk breathed out, satisfied and took off said helmet along with the rest of the paladins. Then he shook his head and sneaked a hand through his sweaty hair. “Now what do we do exactly? Where are the natives?”

From the corner of his eye, it didn’t go unnoticed how Layla leaned her head down to whisper something in Lance’s ear. The Blue Paladin nodded and he carefully grabbed her small body and let it down on the ground where she stretched out and shook off her legs with a serious pout across her lips.

She was dressed in her own clothes, the ones she had on from their first meeting with her on Dokhyna. It seemed that the Castle’s machines did their jobs alright, because they looked brand new—clean and sewed on all the places where the layers were cut or shredded. Black jeans with a picture of a drawn kitten poking from one of the front pockets, long sleeved plain blue shirt and a dark green hoodie with a zipper over her shoulders. Her feet were so tiny and small, enveloped in sparkling white sneakers.

Lance, or maybe even Allura, had braided her long hair in a fishtail and put a headband with a bow on top of her head. Layla looked positively _adorable_ and a sudden, unknown urge within him wanted to take her in his arms and squeeze her against his chest.

The princess looked up towards the skies, squinting against the blazing sun. And then Allura smiled a smile, one even brighter than the sun, like she was testing who could blind the universe more.

“There are here, Hunk.”

Confused, Keith lifted his own head.

And almost gasped at what he witnessed.

There was no doubt that those were the same Yek’hitians who called them, but they looked _so different_ now, when there wasn’t a barrier of pixels between them.

So different when they were soaring in the skies, magnificent colorful wings battling against the winds.

There were five of them and Keith couldn’t make the best of their figures yet, even with his enhanced Galra eyesight, but there was no doubt those aliens here were winged and looked amazing while flying closer and closer to where Voltron was waiting on the runway.

_“Woooow,”_ said Layla with an awed exhale and Keith felt her drifting closer to where he himself was standing. He tensed for just a second, afraid of her and Lance’s reaction somehow. The Red Paladin glanced downwards at her and his lips moved on their own, a motion trying to mimic Layla’s amazed smile. It was so contagious, like a virus that transmitted way too easily. As if no matter what shitty mood you were in—one smile coming from a McClain could turn everything upside down.

“Holy sh--,” Pidge started, but one look from Shiro and Keith collectively had her deflating, “ _shmickels!_ ”

It was obvious that everyone was impressed and amazed. They’ve been on a lot of planets, have visited hundreds of galaxies, many places and strangely, it was for the first time they met species with wings. Which was also strange on its own since it didn’t seem like an impossible feature to have in the huge space that the universe took.

At last, the five aliens were finally close enough and Keith narrowed his eyes at the details that adorned the wings that came from their backs. They were of all shades, but it didn’t match their skin tone. Brown, orange, yellow and white to even red. The Yek’hitians didn’t share a distinguished trait except for the wings to hint at them sharing a race. Even their flying parts were different so Keith tried to wrap his head around it. Were all of them half or they all just looked like that everywhere on the planet?

They landed gracefully on the runway, and Keith tried too hard to not gawk at the huge wings that looked way too close to resemblance of ones of a--

“They look like cool Mothman,” Layla gasped quietly from where she was standing on his left and when Keith looked at her shocked, perhaps that she knew who Mothman was. Then she probably felt his eyes on her and the girl looked up at him, a big grin split her lips when Layla met his stare. “ _Alien mothmans!_ Can you believe it, daaaaaaaaaaa--”

She seemed very excited as she said that, small hands formed into eager fists like she was trying to hold herself back from jumping. But then she began trailing off the word she was trying to say and Layla kept going drawling out the letter in front of everyone who turned confused. Keith raised an eyebrow.

And something clicked behind her eyes. “—aaaaaamn! _Damn!_ This is so cool – DAMN!”

Everyone in the group gaped at that, especially Lance who looked like Layla had murdered someone with his own bayard in front of all Voltron. Pidge just grinned like a Cheshire cat and looked amused more than anything.

Keith crossed his arms and leveled Layla with the most intense, judgemental look he could muster. Layla began to seem sheepish at that and lowered her head to the ground.

“That’s not a very nice word, you know that, right?”

Layla shrugged and was now distracted by the Yek’hitians who began walking towards them, greeted by an enthusiastic Allura. “I’ve heard worse.”

Keith opened his mouth, ready to say something even when he didn’t know what, but was interrupted by Shiro throwing him a look and a swing of his head to the side.

_Right_. He shouldn’t lecture a kid that wasn’t his or let himself preoccupied with other matters while they were on a mission.

He huffed and turned to the Yek’hitians who were shaking hands with Hunk and Allura, gentle smiles gracing their interesting features. Some had four limbs, others had two and one even looked like an oversized tiger with orange fur and white stripes. Allura turned and motioned with her hand for them to come forward, still grasping onto some of their hands that the aliens outstretched. A majority looked positively amazed by the Altean princess, but that was no surprise for Keith.

Many alien species were skeptical when it came to her, as she was the last from her own, but more were always in astonishment at her majestic presence and beauty. The Yek’hitians were no exception.

Keith strolled with no hesitation and midway, he caught the eyes of one of them.

He was, at first sight at least, the leader of this small entourage if Keith judged correctly by his attire that was the only one different than the other four. His stance was confident, promising a swift death to anyone beneath those dual short swords he had strapped on the sides of his hips. His gaze swept around everything and everyone, looking for any danger and although nothing changed about his indifferent expression, Keith still caught the way he low-key relaxed as his shoulders dropped a tad lower and his feet moved.

Keith knew too well those signs, because he did the exact same thing wherever they went.

This man was a soldier just like him. Just like Voltron.

This man had seen as many horrors and slaughtered Galra and droids just like them all.

And now those soldier eyes got chained with his own and Keith tried to keep it there, not backing down. He was definitely handsome, perhaps the most beautiful male alien he’s even encountered, and despite that he was in love in Lance – he couldn’t deny that the intensity of his gaze almost made him blush and duck his head away.

It wasn’t as if it was possible for Lance to return his feelings and it had been way too long for Keith since the last time a wanted male attention was on him.

“Greetings, Paladins of Voltron,” said one female Yek’hitian as they all drew closer. Her skin was of pastel green shade and there was no hair on top of her head, but her whole body and face were covered in darker green lines gracing her everywhere. And when Keith looked at them all again, he noticed that every Yek’hitian did have lines too, but in different patterns and shapes. It was really beautiful and it reminded Keith of Hunk’s tribal tattoos that he showed the team one night. “My name is Menysa Nim’aspe and I am the Head Chancellor of all the four tribes in Yek’hitia. It is a pleasure of mine and my citizens to finally meet you all in flesh.”

Her voice was melodic and lilting, and Keith saw the genuine kindness written across her face and in her slight bow at them. She looked older than Shiro maybe, but Keith has learned long ago to never assume alien’s ages. They were all so complicated and different so for all he knew, Menysa knew Alfor’s grandfather.

Shiro offered his arm and Menysa took it with a smile. “Thank you for your hospitality, Head Chancellor. And thank you for the vital information about the anomaly on Dokhyna. It has been of great help so we decided to express our gratitude by visiting your beautiful planet.”

Two Yek’hitians behind Menysa looked ready to swoon and squeal at the sight of his brother which had Keith suppressing a smirk behind his fist. If all alien fans of his knew how whipped and gone for Adam Shiro still was, they’d drop everything at this very second. The beautiful male snapped his head towards Keith who in his turn decided to ignore that.

“Ah, yes. Did you find out what caused our radars to go crazy a phoeb ago?” Asked Menysa, and even though she didn’t have eyebrows, her face looked dubious exactly like how one would raise a brow at the statement Shiro gave. “We prepared a scouting team in case you couldn’t come, but Voltron was quick to respond to our message.”

“Not what, Head Chancellor,” Pidge butted in, “but _who._ ”

They previously discussed this morning if they should tell the Yek’hitian leader about Layla and time travelling, and leave the girl with Coran. Keith was not shocked that Lance was against it and offered that they should make up some bullshit excuse that would cover up the time storm discovery. Frankly, the decision was his after all, but even the little girl was getting antsy in the huge Castle and it didn’t go past Lance by a mile. Allura and Coran also assured the Blue Paladin that the Yek’hitians were known as the biggest diplomats, even bigger than the Alteans, and wouldn’t attack a small kid even in the name of science. They still created a plan in case something went wrong, but all of Keith’s instincts were settled and calm. Which meant that the chances of any attacks were very low.

Menysa and the tiger-like Yek’hitian tilted their heads, but then they must’ve finally realized that there was a small kid amongst them because they all let out soft gasps. The handsome one, however, didn’t look astonished at all. He probably managed to see Layla even from when he was still flying in the skies.

At the gasps, Layla immediately acted and hid behind the legs of the person closest to her.

And that person was Keith.

He had figured out that unlike her father, Layla was shy and quiet, and didn’t like much attention, especially from strangers. Keith knew that feeling way too well and a protective impulse had him positioning himself more firmly between her and the Yek’hitians, a hand close, ready to summon his bayard if needed, and another one—behind him where he could touch Layla and grab her just in case.

The silent one narrowed his eyes, ones full of only silver sclera that seemed to dimly glow under the sun. And his wings, that had been tucked safely behind his back, unconsciously (or maybe not) spread to frame his body. Like he was preparing to fight just as much as Keith was.

Menysa immediately sensed the sudden tension, and so did Allura, but she was the first one to react for she extended her hand and settled it on the muscular shoulder of the handsome male. “Easy there, Adrial.”

So the pretty one had a pretty name too, huh? Who would’ve thought.

Menysa turned to Allura and Shiro, an apologetic look on her face, but she still kept one of her four hands on Adrial. “Forgive us. We mean no harm to the little one or to the ones who battle against Zarkon’s tyranny. But this is just something we quite haven’t … ”

“Expected?” Allura prompted humbly and Menysa nodded. “We didn’t either, if I’m being honest. It’s a long story to explain, you see.”

Menysa’s hand slipped away from Adrial, whose eyes didn’t leave Keith for once. He didn’t know if he should’ve been flattered that this very obviously trained man considered him as the biggest threat within Voltron or offended that he thought his teammates weren’t worthy enough to be under his judgemental stare. At the end, Keith was the one who decided to turn away from those silver glowing gems and he could’ve sworn he caught some amusement painted on Adrial’s face.

“Would you mind if we talk at my home, then?” Menysa asked while she gestured with her two left arms behind her, pointing obviously at the biggest building that stood in the center of the city. The one that reminded Keith of the Colosseum, apparently.

There were excited yells coming from Hunk, Pidge and Lance while Shiro just smiled respectfully at the Chancellor. Layla was silent behind Keith and when he glanced down, she was glancing suspiciously at the city below them like it had personally offended her. With great uncertainty, Keith put his palm on top of her hand, trying to comfort her. He didn’t know if it would work or if she would sprung away when she realized he wasn’t Lance. It was worth a shot though.

But she didn’t lean away from him, no, she leaned _towards_ him. Layla’s eyes never left Zalia while she nuzzled further into his hand and leg like she tried to make herself smaller.

“Of course! That would be wonderful!” Allura beamed at Menysa and then her demeanor changed when the princess realized something, a crease forming between her brows. “But how would we come with you there? The Castle and the Lions are too big and they’d crush everything if we try to land.”

“Oh, princess … ” Menysa trailed jokingly, shook her head in mirth and expanded her big brown wings. “Perhaps it’s time you all try to soar in the skies without those Lions of yours.”

And for the first time since the Yek’hitians arrived—Adrial was the only one who was smirking now.

* * *

Keith tried to stay apathetic about the whole deal with the Yek’hitians flying them on their own, with the Paladins in their arms – to the home building of their leader.

He really did.

Keith tried to mask away his excitement and giddiness by crossing his arms and drifting away from the group as they were discussing who would be flying with who. The Red Paladin’s feet carried him to the edge of the runway and he leaned forwards so he could truly see for himself how deep the bottom of the mountain went. Perhaps he was truly a crazy man for his first thought, as he was gaping at the dark chasm below him, was how it would feel to fall down into it. A shudder was on its way to shake his whole body, but he pushed it back.

_Holy stars,_ he thought. His eyes beheld the distance from here to there, to where it was the final destination. It was a bit far, but with Red he’d arrive in negative time. He wondered how long it’d take when an Yek’hitian held you in their arms, flapping those wings. To ride in Red was always an extraordinary experience when it was either a battle or cruising just for the funs of it, but man, what would be like to have _actual_ wings? To spread them and feel the wind hitting you across the face? To go wherever you want and do whatever you want? Keith would have been lying if he said he’d never wished for such a thing.

Keith dared to inch his head closer to where it was all ending and he would’ve stepped closer maybe, had it not been for the voice that snapped him from his dreamy daze.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

He froze in his tracks, and he felt his face forming into one of confusion when he didn’t recognize the one who spoke. Keith carefully moved himself, slightly shaking his head so his bangs could reveal who was standing behind him. Yet, he refused to reposition his stance.

No one told him what to do.

Not even pretty guys with moth wings who thought they were hot shit just because they were pretty guys with moth wings.

Keith strengthened his back and finally took his sweet time to observe this _Adrial._

His skin was of very, very light purple and he had white markings across his high cheekbones, straight nose and full lips, with three dots under each eye and two lines circling around his throat. A circle with some kind of symbol inside of it had a place in the middle of his forehead and up higher was where his hairline started to reveal mid-length wavy hair, in the color of sapphire, that reached his chin. There were some braids weaved on both of his sides and his ears were pointed in that elven type Allura and Coran had, but his were smaller and twitched at the smallest sound.

Handsome, yes. In that deadly kind; that kind of silent beauty that had you lured until it was too late and you were a helpless fly in a spider’s web.

Adrial stayed quiet after his comment and so did Keith.

Keith noticed in the background how Menysa took Allura in her arms, while the Tiger Yek’hitian swooped Shiro like he didn’t weigh nothing.

And then they leaped. Up and up they went in the sky, like those immortal beings in those books Keith read back on Earth, from the dusty shelves in one of the orphanages in Texas. Menysa and her partner’s wings quivered, battling with the air and then they dropped into a fast speed—down at the city. Keith bit back a laugh at Shiro’s frightened screams that stayed even after he was long gone.

Pidge was obviously the next one. The Green Paladin was jumping on one place and she almost toppled the pink and tall Yek’hitian who opened her arms for her.

Adrial cleared his throat out of nowhere. “I’m afraid we must go in a bit, Red Paladin. You’re the one flying with me.”

Keith blinked away the sight of Pidge who looked like a gleeful baby kangaroo as the pink Yek’hitian’s red wings wiggled and in no time they were gone as well.

He turned to Adrial.

“Judging by your attitude earlier, I would’ve assumed you’d be opposed to this.”

Keith didn’t know from where this was coming from. He wasn’t usually one to tease or make talk with stranger aliens, and yet, here he was.

Adrial looked away embarrassed and the lines around his neck began to glow a little. Or maybe those were Keith’s eyes deceiving him.

“I hope you accept my sincerest apologies, Paladin Keith,” he said, but this time Adrial pinned him with a serious gaze, his silver sclera as sincere as possible. Keith had to gulp down something that formed in his throat. “I didn’t mean any offense to you or that little one with you.”

“I … uh-- … it’s fine. I may have overreacted a bit,” Keith admitted and offered a truce in the form of a genuine smile that he rarely threw around. Then he changed his footing and moved away from the edge, walking closer to where Adrial stood. “Sometimes it’s hard to remember we all have one common enemy.”

Adrial chuckled at that and, well, that smile suited his face a lot better than the serious scowl he was wearing earlier. “That is true. Although my skills on the battlefield are more impressive than the ones where I have to hold a conversation.”

Oh, was he telling _that_ to _Keith_.

“I know that feeling way too well, unfortunately,” Keith said with a huff. “I’d rather face thousands of Galra than to talk about the weather with some random alien during a negotiation meeting.”

This time Adrial laughed with his whole chest, but it wasn’t as loud and boisterous as Lance’s laugh whenever Keith joked from time to time.

And he shouldn’t compare them, _Keith knew he shouldn’t_ , but Lance’s smile was so much … _more_. More beautiful, but also happier. His laugh wasn’t this gentle caress or shy chuckles. No, Lance laughed with his whole being and every time it was more infectious than the other. His teeth were at display and he either clutched his stomach or flied his arms around. Lance had the literal sun behind his ribcage and Keith was known for being cold his whole life. It was no wonder he fell in love with him.

Adrial shook his head after his fit and then motioned with a hand. Keith noticed he had four fingers. “Shall we go?”

Keith answered with simply walking past the Yek’hitian to where the only left were Hunk, Lance and Layla. The Yellow Paladin was babbling with a very buff and muscular female, who was taller than Hunk himself and had a similar physique to Shay if Keith was being honest. Maybe Hunk had a type, he thought amused.

“ _—_ not that I don’t trust you Miss beautiful, strong lady, but I am kind of afraid of heights, ya know?” Keith just heard Hunk say as he and Adrial drew closer. He noticed Lance glancing to him with a frown, but he pretended not to see it.

The woman scratched one of her antlers with a puzzled pout. “But you fly a Lion all the time, do you not?”

“That’s different!” Hunk squeaked, wide eyes tracing her wings with fear. “A-at least if Yellow falls, I am still inside safe and will go with less damage!”

However all of his stammering and scared-y speeches fell on deaf ears, because the female Yek’hitian rolled her eyes fondly and simply reached forward, taking Hunk gently in her strong arms. “You will not fall, Paladin Hunk. I am the second best flier in my division!”

Hunk immediately started scrambling in her tight hold, frantic and afraid, when she began jogging like Hunk weighted less than cotton. “Wait, wait, wait, wait w-w-what do you mean _second_ beee—AAAAAAA!”

Layla giggled loudly when the Yek’hitian dropped from the runway’s edge and began flying quickly upwards with Hunk, whom Keith could see, covered both of his eyes and squeezed himself into an embryo pose. They could all hear the happy laughter that spread across the wind, coming from the female Yek’hitian.

Adrial next to him huffed. “Are all of your species this entertaining?”

Keith shrugged his shoulders and looked up at him. Something quirky and petty was about to leave his mouth, and Keith was aware that now there were only three humans and only one Yek’hitian.

But it all seemed to fade away like smoke as his gaze caught something that he never would’ve expected to see.

Adrial’s white wings opened and closed slowly, lazily, like butterfly’s ones on a summer sunny day to reveal a small weapon glued to his muscular back. It was in a leather sheath that looked expensive and obviously done by the hand of a master, but the handle and the glowing mark that were poking out, were too well known for Keith to miss.

His eyes widened and on reflex, he raised a hand to touch it, but then realized how invasive or stupid that would’ve been.

So he settled in for a comment.

“You’re a Galra,” Keith breathed out and Adrial snapped his gaze down at him. His hair swayed with the motion and for a second, some kind of fear could be seen in his silver eyes, but then he must’ve noticed something on his own part, for the fear was replaced by some slight softness.

“Half. Just like you,” he said and bowed his head to the left like he was wary of Keith’s reaction that he knew this piece of information. As if the whole universe already wasn’t aware that the Red Paladin was a half breed.

But Keith didn’t care about that. “You … I … A-are you also a part of The Blade?”

He almost angered himself with how pathetic he sounded. Pathetic, but also hopeful, because this happened for the first time.

For the first time Keith found someone like him.

Not that the Galra at the Marmora base weren’t like him, but this was _different_. Different and familiar all at once. Adrial was supposedly a member of the Blade of Marmora and no one from his people seemed to care. He was a good Galra who helped others in need. Just like Keith; just like all he wanted to be and all he wanted to prove to everyone.

Even to his own team.

_‘And let’s look at how much you actually hate yourself and the fact that you’re a Galra,’_ Lance had said that one night when they fought with his fiery blue eyes, reflecting all the stars and all the sad, all the frustrating truths about him.

“I am,” Adrial answered with a smile and that pulled Keith out of his thoughts. “All of my best friends—I’ve met them all in my time when I was training there.”

“I think I had a very different experience than yours then,” Keith said and almost winced at all the memories from every harsh kick and brutal punch landing on all of his body when they thought he was a fraud and didn’t let him in to know about his past. _Knowledge or Death_ sometimes ringed in his head like loud bells, reminding him of who he was.

The lines around Adrial’s throat glowed again. “I’ve heard talks about your trial, Paladin Keith and I must admit … they don’t do you justice.”

“How so?” Keith asked, brows drawing together in confusion, tone edging on defense. What did he mean? Did he look weaker or stronger? Or maybe Kolivan had sang in front of everyone about the projections of his father and Shiro, or how he needed Red to try to wreck the base so they could leave him alone.

Adrial reached out cautiously and his slender hand found home on Keith’s shoulder. Usually, this act by someone he barely knew would’ve earned them a hit in the lower regions or knuckles kissing their face. But everything about this man was so genuine and kind, that he surprised himself with how much he didn’t mind Adrial touching him. Or maybe it was because that it wasn’t his bare skin that made contact with his fingers.

“You are much more beautiful than all the stories claimed you are.”

At first, only a fraction of his words registered in Keith’s brain.

And then it all hit him, like a punch to the stomach, out of nowhere while he felt heat creeping towards his neck and cheeks. _Holy shit._

Keith opened his mouth, slightly gaping in surprise. Adrial looked pleased with himself, but also shy when he turned his head away from Keith’s piercing gaze.

“Ey! You there, young man! Keep your hands to yourself! There are children here!”

Keith and Adrial were both startled at Lance’s outburst so they turned around.

It was weird how Keith was quick to forget he wasn’t alone.

Lance’s arms were crossed in front of his chest in disapproval like he was a principal of a school that didn’t allow people to date, his face scrunched into a sour grimace and anger like he didn’t want to look at them for not even one second.

Keith should’ve been enraged with how childish he was acting right now and he almost yelled back at the pure _audacity_ for him to be such a _fucking hypocrite_ if it wasn’t for Layla bearing the exact same expression and pose.

“Yeah!” Layla yelled and marched with some cute fury to where Keith and Adrial stood. “I am a kid! This is so inpro-- … inprat-- … inproporotate!”

The struggle of her saying the word correctly ended with the girl stomping her foot on the ground in anger and if she had the ability of laser eyes, then Adrial’s hand would’ve been fried into crispiness a long time ago.

“You mean inappropriate?” Keith offered and jerked his eyebrow.

“That’s what I said!” Layla yelled back and glared once again at the attached hand Adrial was still resting on his shoulder. The man removed it and it was hilarious how such a strong soldier could be so afraid of a small girl that threw hissy fits.

It was at that moment that Menysa decided to show up and she landed on the platform, already making her way to them.

“Splendid! Just as we chose – Adrial will fly the Red Paladin, meanwhile I will take the Blue Paladin and his daughter, correct? The princess told me of your situation and I assure you that I can handle both of you at the same time.”

Lance and Layla both looked like they were ready to protest at that, throwing nasty looks back at Adrial, but it was Keith for the first time, who decided to be the pacifier in the situation.

“Of course, Head Chancellor, that’s perfect. Can I just have a word?”

Not waiting for a response, Keith hauled Layla from the floor, under her shoulders and carried her to Lance who kept glaring at Adrial from above Keith’s shoulder. The small girl was comfortingly heavy in his hold and Keith ignored that small part of his brain that screamed at him how right this was; how right it felt.

_“Lance.”_ Keith demanded the other boy to look at him by saying his name and it worked, fortunately. Those azures flashed with something. This was the first time they’ve spoken to each other since the fight. And it was only for them to have another. Just perfect. “Layla is ten so she can pass under the radar for acting like a child. _You,_ however _, are not._ So stop being a goddamn jerk and mind your business, because this hypocrisy coming from you is unbelievable.”

Then Keith handed Lance’s daughter back to him who immediately opened his arms to hold her. Lance’s face twisted into something else, something akin to embarrassment, but Keith was quick to turn on his heels and go back to Adrial.

Menysa gestured to Lance and Layla to come closer to her, her brown moth wings fluttering and the Red Paladin didn’t bother with watching them. He was too angry for that.

Adrial looked apologetic. “Listen, Paladin Keith, I am sorr--”

Keith held up a hand, stopping him from saying anything further.

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Adrial. I’m sorry on behalf of them … they’re not usually like that.”

The Yek’hitian man smiled sympathetically at that, but didn’t say anything else. Instead he offered his hand—the one he had touched his shoulder with—and left it to hang in the empty space between them. “Are you ready to fly then?”

Keith wasn’t hesitant to accept the proposal and his gloved fingers interlaced with Adrial’s whose grip was strong and assuring the moment they touched. As if he was transmitting the message that Keith could trust him and his wings and that he shouldn’t be afraid. Keith didn’t know how much he actually needed that assurance, but he was still grateful for it nevertheless.

Adrial bent down and soon Keith’s feet left the ground as he was picked up sideways. Adrial’s hands were steady rocks under his knees and behind his back as the man inched closer and closer to where the edge was ending. His heart started beating wildly and Keith clutched the man’s neck on reflex.

There was a soft chuckle in his ear.

His eyes searched for Lance and Layla around him. But when he couldn’t see them anywhere, he glanced upwards and noticed Menysa’s brown wings already carrying them both towards safety. God, he hoped they weren’t too scared and were okay. He doubted Lance was scared of heights, but what if Layla …

“If you drop me,” Keith grumbled when he felt Adrial lifting them both in the air. “I will fucking kill you.”

“Oh, I am definitely counting on that,” were his last words before he shot up in the sky like a bullet.

* * *

“Well . . . I must say that this is . . . certainly an interesting story.”

Keith shifted uncomfortably in his seat for what it felt like a millionth time since this talk started.

Lance, who was on his left, eyed him with a raised eyebrow that Keith noticed from his side. But he ignored it on purpose and kept his gaze locked with the alien who spoke up, on the high chair that was next to Menysa’s. The Head Chancellor was on the head of the table along with two more Yek’hitians on each of her side—all more different looking than the other. The silence all across the room was absolutely crushing and thankfully, he wasn’t the only one who was affected by it.

Layla was caged between Allura and Shiro across from him, something that Lance was opposed to at first, but it was the princess who caught his elbow and murmured words in his ear that only the Blue Paladin could hear. His brother had a relaxed expression on his face, but Keith had taken a look at his twitching hands and knew that his act wasn’t as convincing as they all might be thinking. Allura’s back was strengthened into the perfect pose of the diplomat she was playing, hands locked on the table’s smooth surface.

There was a hologram projection of Yek’hitia rotating slowly all around in the middle of the table and it often caught Keith’s eye, distracting him greatly from the conversation.

“And you are absolutely sure that you have no idea how the Blue Paladin’s daughter came from the future?”

Keith’s eyes flickered to the tall and looming Yek’hitian that was on the far left. His skin was bright red, red as blood; red as Keith’s armor and his hair was snowy white, identical to Allura’s color, though his was short with two pointy horns coming up from the roots. His wings, that had enough space for him to spread them easily, were raven black just like the swirling lines that were drawn on his hard face. He was the only one who made Keith feel uneasy ever since they stepped into the room.

Pidge cleared her throat and Keith almost cringed at how it rang in the room.

“We did analyze some of the readings you guys sent us, but so far we couldn’t decipher the code.”

They decided to lie simply for the only sole reason : that Layla was leaving in two days. And because the little girl specifically voiced her opinion that no one, except for Voltron, can know about the time storms and all the devices she had brought in her backpack. And in a way, Keith knew it made perfect sense. Time was a fragile thing and they had to thread this very carefully if they didn’t want to fuck up something major for them in the future. It was bad enough that Layla was here already.

And all this information could fall into wrong hands which is something that no one wanted. Even the unknowing Yek’hitians who Keith couldn’t blame for wanting to hear the truth.

The man’s mouth opened just a bit and one of his fingers, that rested on his cheek making him out to look like he was bored the whole time, gestured to Layla.

Keith felt Lance tensing.

“Didn’t the child want to talk?” He asked in a low, weary tone.

At the mention of her, Layla shriveled down a little in her seat. Her face gave away some slight fear so Keith was happy that Shiro noticed and put a hand on her shoulder. Lance was probably happy too.

“I’m speaking for all of us when I say that we don’t try to pressure her too much. We found her alone and very exhausted on Dokhyna since she’d been wandering around for almost a phoeb,” Allura said and straight up glanced at the man as if challenging him to say something else. “And we’d all appreciate it if we stop with the interrogation. If I wanted that I could’ve visited a Galra ship. Me and my team didn’t come here for this.”

The man’s small eyes squinted in suspicion and he leaned just a tad closer to the table. But he was interrupted by the gentle looking alien with lilac wings to his side before he could speak again.

“We are very sorry, princess. We mean no offense. This is just so exciting!” Their voice was high, almost childish even, and their black eyes glittered with happiness. “We’ve been studying the matters of time since forever and now we have … a proof! That it is all possible and it could happen one day!”

Menysa smiled warmly at them at their outburst and cocked her head.

“That is true. My people find strength in our scientific and technical abilities, though sadly, we cannot compare to the Olkari yet,” she said and the chiefs of the three tribes bobbed their heads in confirmation, except for the tall mean man. “But princess Allura is right. Voltron came to our aid and we must be grateful for their help. That’s why we’ve decided to officially join the Coalition.”

“That is amazing,” Allura said while smiling and it was genuine. Not fake. “The expanding of the rebellion is truly getting bigger. Perhaps soon Zarkon’s reign will be over.”

They all bowed their heads towards one another—a sign of respect from a royal to another royals.

Keith shifted in his chair again and his gaze shifted to the vast space between all the stone arcs that were built next to each other with no glass between them and the outside world. Every single thing in this room was built specifically for people with wings. The beige sky started getting darker and the sun’s last rays illuminated the landscape gorgeously over the high mountains in the distance. Just how easy it was for them to jump and fly over there, to the highest top and just breathe and grab the sun in their own hands?

He suddenly felt sleepy just by looking at this.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Menysa, her eyes widening. “My eldest daughter, Edeara, will be marrying tomorrow! It would be a great honor, you see, if you all could stay here for the night so we can celebrate the ceremony with you. I understand you all have duties and things to care of, but my Edeara would appreciate to see her heroes on her special quintant!”

Allura turned to them before answering. Because they were a team and chose together. And Keith wasn’t too excited for a social gathering, but it’d be a good distraction for his teammates so he agreed with a shake of his head. Layla locked eyes with him and he couldn’t help, but smile. He didn’t know why. Keith wasn’t a type of person to just do that to people.

_‘But Layla wasn’t just people, was she?’_ Something whispered in his ear.

Menysa clapped her hands and the other Yek’hitians even squealed. “Perfect! Your rooms will be ready in just a tick! We were hoping you’d all agree so we prepared.”

Layla smiled back at him, but … something was off.

And Keith didn’t know why that made him as sad as it did.

* * *

Keith’s room was a dream come true.

Menysa didn’t lie when she said that they’ve organized everything for them already and didn’t need much time until they were all escorted to their chambers. The door was high and made of some sort of stone, in the color of dark sand, and it shone like the literal stars were carved into the material.

Wings and flowery designs were sculptured within and all he wanted was to reach out and feel the masterpieces under his own hand. But he contained himself in front of the friendly Yek’hitian server that led him through the long hallways. And if the outside was certainly beautiful, it was inside that was worthy of gasping and fawning over. The architecture followed the same type as with every other room that Keith has been in so far. The space seemed so big with Ionic columns in every corner, supporting the roof over his head, that had paintings drawn over it.

Keith’s first instinct was to look for any immediate exits in case there was an attack, but there was no need to look thoroughly, for the first thing that managed to bribe his attention was the fact that there were no windows. With shocked eyes, Keith had walked closer to the vast balcony where there wasn’t any glass separating his room from the outside. He leaned on to the railing and although he wasn’t afraid of heights in any way, Keith’s gloved fingers still tightened instinctively as he gazed below him. They were so high. He felt like a bird, flying above and seeing all these sights.

It was a nice change from his suffocating and small room back on the Castle with only the ink sky greeting him every single day. Keith didn’t realize how much he’d missed fresh air and the sun.

The bed looked ready to fit more than three people on it, inviting with soft pillows on top, but what’d else he expect from people who had wings and carried them everywhere. There was a wardrobe next to it, along with night stands on each side. The furniture were all wonderfully done and Keith never expected himself to be taking into account any of these crazy details.

It didn’t take him too long to find the red, silky to the touch veil that divided the room in two—only to reveal a pool that was perhaps bigger than all those public ones he has visited back in Arizona and Texas. It was filled with steamy water, with millions and millions of glassy bottles and containers stacked all around it and a small smile bloomed over his lips. Lance must’ve been losing his mind over all these beauty products. There were soft towels left near so Keith impulsively decided to strip himself off his armor and climb down into the pool.

A satisfied moan was let out and he rolled his neck, popping some bones. He was so tense and out of character for him, Keith specifically took his time to find a smell he liked, hoping that it’d be fit for his body and hair. With the help of his hands, he stripped himself from all the sweat and all the dirt, mind drifting helplessly to Lance.

He was all he could think about these days it seemed. Lance and Layla.

Keith would really miss the girl when she leaves. Even her quiet demeanor and shy looks and smiles left their mark in their daily lives. She didn’t interact much with them, and Keith wondered if she was holding herself back simply because she was too scared of all this time travel bullshit. Lance desperately tried to bond with her whenever she allowed which wasn’t often, unfortunately for the Blue Paladin. There were days when she’d be open and say more than five sentences a day, and there were days that Keith was convinced she was a ghost; a sick joke that his brain came up with.

Nothing funnier than your crush’s daughter coming from the future to show you how you’re not going to get that happy ending with him. Keith was still curious when it would be the moment he breaks down and crumbles.

Just when he thought he could have something more with Lance.

And despite all that—he still couldn’t help, but love Layla McClain. After all, what was there not to love even if he barely spoke to her? The smallest acts were the most endearing to Keith anyways. Like how she’d seek out Hunk when he cooked, sitting on the counter and reminding him where the ingredients were if he forgot. Or how he caught Shiro and her cleaning the mice once; or how she allowed Allura to braid her hair and dress her in dresses. Even Pidge was won over eventually with little to no time, however, Keith wasn’t sure how _that_ happened. Coran was the only one who probably managed to make her laugh the most.

Yet … it was still Keith and Lance she sought out the most. Lance, well, that made sense, but why _him_? Especially today when she latched on to him and let him touch her. Why was Keith so important her? Even if he imagined himself as the “cool uncle”, Hunk and Shiro were in fact better than him when dealing with children.

Sometimes … sometimes she had this look on her face. Keith would catch Layla accidentally staring at him out of nowhere, but that didn’t surprise him the more often it happened. She looked sad; devastated at worst which kind of scared Keith.

Was he … _dead_ in the future? Did she feel pity that she’s never met him? Or was future Keith dumb enough to distance himself away from Lance’s life just because he had a family and a good life without him? God, he hoped he wasn’t that selfish in the future. But the Red Paladin didn’t allow himself to indulge into those spiraling thoughts so he left Layla to stare all she liked.

Magically the water (and the room for that matter, despite the no windows) didn’t cool at all and stayed warm even when Keith was sure, he stood there soaking and thinking about whatever his mind could grasp on. At the end, he engulfed his naked body with those red towels. The floor under his feet wasn’t cold when he padded to the wardrobe, pleasantly surprised to find it full with clothes.

He dried himself carefully and dressed into the first thing he grabbed, too tired to think and too exhausted to care. There were all types of underwear (even red lace panties that caused his cheeks to redden when he brought them closer to see), but he settled for a pair of boxers and a long shiny burgundy robe that reminded him of those pajamas that rich people wore in the movies. He knew they had similar ones, back in their home, but Keith never came around to wear them.

Then Keith climbed into the huge fluffy bed, the sheets warm and welcoming against his skin. He sighed and hugged a pillow close to his chest, closing his eyes—the fatigue triumphing over all.

And if in that smooth darkness that overtook his senses, Keith dreamed of a future where Lance was his and he was Lance’s, no one had to know.

There was a knock on his door.

Not that Keith would call it exactly a _knock_ as he furrowed his eyebrows, wondering if it was a dream or a reality. It was more of a faint thud going over and over again with short intervals between. He tried to sink more into his bed, not opening his eyes so Keith could go back into the dream land that he surrendered himself into. But the thud on the other side of the door sounded too insistent so Keith loosed a quiet groan and turned on the other side.

It was dark and there was no white moon to shine or stars to ignite the room, but the lights from the city and his increased Galran eyesight were enough to help him see through this sea of blackness. Who could be possibly be bothering him at this time of the night when it was obvious that everyone was asleep? Just for a moment, while Keith swung his legs out of the bed, the image of Lance showed up behind his lids as he blinked slowly, but he shooed it away.

But before he stepped any closer to the entrance, his fingers pulled out the blade from under his pillow, thankful that he was awake enough to have put it there before he went to sleep.

Gripping the weapon in his skilled hand, he made his way to the door when yet another thud was landed on his door. Keith gulped down his fear and replaced it with determination. He pressed the panel that scanned him and his feet placed themselves into a fighting stance as the two parts of the entry departed with a hiss.

At first he was confused, blinking away the darkness. There was … no one in front of his door. But before he could consider if he was being too paranoid or going crazy, he looked down to meet one set of two blue eyes gazing up at Keith.

Layla.

Keith immediately relaxed and brought his blade down.

Her hair was let loose and she was dressed into one of her own pajamas with cute puppies stitched on the front with some Spanish letters underneath. Her arms were clutching into her chest some stuffed animal, that resembled some weird looking alien, that Keith sometimes has noticed laying around at the Castle. That big backpack was as always present on her back. His eyes adjusted more and his heart shriveled painfully when he took notice of her wet cheeks and red brimmed eyes.

She let out a sniffle. “Hey.”

It was so small and sad. So broken and raspy. Keith has never seen her look like this and that scared him shitless. Not as scared as when Layla was on the verge of dying on her second day, but it was close.

“Hi, Layla,” he responded softly and that made her sniffle again. Her eyebrows drew together on her forehead and she buried her lower face into the toy’s fluffy head. As if she was trying not to cry or prevent Keith from seeing her just because he said her name.

A pause between them and nothing happened.

Keith took a deep breath.

“Do you want to come in?”

That was the right thing to say, apparently. She barely finished her nod before Layla hurried inside his room and Keith was left to stare at her with a fond smile on his face. He looked around on both sides before he closed the stony gate.

Layla looked kind of lost—so small and tiny in the middle of this enormous room—with her big backpack and cute little toy. Thankfully, her feet weren’t bare. She had these fuzzy pink socks so Keith’s worry that she might catch a cold because of the cold floor withered away. “You can climb into my bed if you want. I don’t mind.”

She silently did that, but Keith noticed some sluggishness in her movements. Layla swayed a little on to her left side, little feet stumbling, and the Red Paladin didn’t realize he was next to her side until it was too late as he was already supporting her. Her breaths came and went too fast for his liking so Keith took of the bag from her back first and grabbed her body against his chest. She snuggled into him, grasping the satin material with her fingers that now he felt—were wet from sweat.

“Oh no,” he mumbled. This couldn’t; _shouldn’t_ have happened right now. _Not again_ , he thought. But he swallowed the nausea and his heart that was caging his throat, and carried her onto his mattress, careful not to move her too much. Keith lowered her down and made sure she was fine (as good as it could be) before he went on to search for that pill device that she needed. Layla’s wheezing wasn’t as bad as the first time, but Keith’s panic felt the absolute same. His hands shook, but he miraculously succeeded in opening the front pocket with the zipper and he probably would’ve fainted in relief when he pulled out the exact same thing he was looking for.

Keith was about to go back to Layla when he realized … he didn’t have _water._

_Fuck, fuck, fuck_ was playing on loop inside his mind. _Stars_ , he didn’t have anything and it’d be fatal if he just went on to look for fucking water in the middle of the night, in a place that was built like a goddamn maze. The backpack looked absolutely inviting in that moment, even when he knew how important it was for the little girl that no one touched it. But he couldn’t just let her.. allow her to get worse or die, just because she demanded some shit. Right?

Keith looked around and his eyes stopped at the veil. _Of course._

During the Red Paladin’s earlier bath, he had seen a tray of food and something drinkable in a cup. He ignored it, mostly because he wasn’t hungry, but that must’ve been left by some servant. Lifesaving rectangle in hand, Keith hurried to said tray and picked up the fancy cup. He sniffed it twice and took a little sip, just in case.

He didn’t have time to wait to see if something would happen, but it was better than nothing so he ran back to Layla who was getting worse with every second.

Keith kneeled on the side of his back and handed her the pill device. He supported the small of her back and head, lifting her so she would not choke.

She was a bit delirious in the middle of it all. Layla touched the piece and just like the last time—it glowed in blue and a small click was heard. But this time it let out a short, but loud beep that echoed in the room, like an alarm. The pill fell in her hand, and she put it in her mouth with a trembling arm while Keith helped her drink from the cup he took.

Then Layla settled in his arms and breathed out an exhale of relief.

That was it. It was over.

Keith didn’t really care nor he didn’t know how long they stayed together like that, basically cuddling with Layla awake somehow, but refusing to leave his arms that somehow circled her into a protective hug. He was never good with kids, but that girl just broke down every one of his walls just like that; as if it was normal for him to be able to take care of her so well.

Unfortunately, his legs began to cramp and he himself felt himself dozing off. So Keith laid her down on her side of his bed. Layla let out a sound of a sleepy protest, but he shushed her.

The Red Paladin went back to his side, putting the blade away this time, on his night stand.

Keith shared his long blanket with Layla and wasn’t surprised at all when she didn’t waste time to latch onto his body underneath. In fact, Keith welcomed it as weird as that was for him.

What a strange child.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone you weren’t feeling well?” He found himself asking quietly. Keith was hoping she wasn’t asleep yet.

Layla shrugged and sniffled once again.

“I don’t like when this happens to me,” she whispered. “I feel stupid and weak.”

Keith hummed at that statement though that didn’t make any sense at all. “Do your … parents know what’s the reason? For you to get these attacks?”

He didn’t know if this question would’ve caused Layla to put her guard back because it’d reveal the future or something. Or that if it was a sensitive topic for her just like him with his Galra DNA or Lance with his insecurities. But Keith still asked. Maybe she needed some talking with someone who wasn’t Lance for once.

Layla shifted in his arms, but he felt her nodding.

“They do. But … my sickness isn’t something super rare. I mean—it’s not that common, but there are people like me … I think.”

“So you’re sick?”

“Yeah,” Layla muttered and this time she sounded even quieter. “I was born like this and my grandma said it is generic so my doctor can’t really fix me.”

Despite the sad confession and confirmation that there was something bad going on with Layla and her health, Keith couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.

“You mean _genetic_?”

“That’s what I said!” Layla huffed angrily.

_“You mean inappropriate?”_

_“That’s what I said!”_

What a cutie. The fact that she spoke two languages was impressive enough so he really couldn’t say anything about her mixing up words or pronouncing them incorrectly. Not to mention that she was still a kid so there was that.

He decided not to press anymore on the matter with her sickness, although he wanted to know more. How did future Lane handle all of this without wanting to cry or pull out his hair from pure frustration like Keith felt a few minutes ago? Maybe having kids granted you with some kind of super powers that helped you cope with this type of thing.

Keith felt himself getting sleepy again, and instead of pillow—now he cuddled _Lance’s_ daughter which warmth him and brought him too much of comfort that he was allowed to feel. She was alive and she was well. That was the most important part to him.

“I had a nightmare,” Layla suddenly announced. As if she was waiting to tell him since the moment she showed up at his door. Keith opened his eyes, that he didn’t realize he had closed and looked idly at the night sky beyond the balcony arcs.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Keith asked. He didn’t have the slightest idea on how it was to deal with a kid who had a bad dream, but he was certainly going to try at least.

Layla shrugged again and exhaled a long breath. “I don’t remember anymore.”

Keith hummed and buried his nose into the crown of her head. Layla’s hair smelled sweet and of baby powder somehow. Must’ve been from the laundry detergent if he had to guess. Before he could think of a response, Layla spoke up.

“Hey Keith?”

“Mm?”

“You … you don’t like that pretty moth guy, right?”

Her question was hesitant like she was afraid of his answer and his reaction altogether. But there was a small portion of hope hidden underneath it all which caused Keith to laugh silently at how ridiculous was. The daughter of the guy he was in love with just asked him if he liked an alien that flirted with him. Just _how_ ridiculous has his life become?

He kept laughing and laughing, not knowing why this was that hilarious to him.

But at the end, he settled in and sighed contentedly, some chuckles and huffs still escaping him. He was going crazy.

“Go to sleep, Layla,” was what he said instead of replying and resisted the want to kiss her forehead.

Layla loosed an annoyed growl, but he didn’t pay it no mind as Keith was falling asleep against his will now, eyes dropping and body relaxing. His arms, however, tightened around the little girl still. _She was okay; she was safe now._

Nothing was going to happen to her as long as Keith was here.

He might’ve been too far gone and it was far too late, to the point Keith didn’t know if he was dreaming or not when someone whispered _“good night, dad”._

_Some weird dream is happening_ , was Keith’s last thought before he fell asleep completely.

And yet …

he didn’t dream at all that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;;;;;;))))))))
> 
> \- first of all, i just wanna say : i fucking love jealous lance. jelly lance is in my dna. i get high on that shit. it's superior. i rest my case and that's on that. (also is it possible to fall in love with an OC u made? that's me with adrial holy shit)
> 
> \- is it normal to hate your writing? like there are times where i think it's fine and then i reread and my mind goes "ah fuck what the fuck is this, this is so bad". like ??? holy shit lmao
> 
> \- also remember when last time i said i've been waiting to write this chapter? yeah it wasnt that one. i felt like there needed a smoother transition between them so NEXT TIME expect the thing i've been waiting to write since the begining! im so excited EEEK! 💗 💗 💗 
> 
> \- i can't wait once again for your comments, thoughts and theories so send them my way, don't be shy! i read and respond to everyone! you guys are the highlight of my days! i hope the next chap will come a lot faster since i'm back to being to online school which equals me being more relaxed and having more time to write!✨🌹 
> 
> UNTIL NEXT TIME, YOU BEAUTIFUL ANGELS! 🌙🌼🖋


End file.
